Residents of Mokwa in Niger State on Sunday blocked the Mokwa-Bida highway, protesting persistent bandit attacks and demanding the rescue of 15 people allegedly abducted by suspected bandits.
The protest caused severe disruption on the major highway, leaving scores of travellers stranded since Saturday night as angry residents blocked all entry points into Mokwa.
The Mokwa-Bida highway, which stretches for over 100 kilometres, is a major federal road linking motorists travelling between the South-West and northern parts of the country.
One of the protesters, Saliu Mohammed, alleged that suspected bandits recently abducted 15 residents of the community, claiming that security agencies had yet to rescue the victims.
Mohammed vowed that the protest would continue until the abducted residents were rescued.
A commuter travelling from Ilorin to Abuja, Joy Amaechi, said she had spent about five hours stranded in Mokwa, calling for urgent government intervention.
Similarly, a driver with a mass transit company, Henry Nwachuckwu, said he arrived in Mokwa at about 7am on Sunday.
As of 10:30am, the protesters were still occupying the highway, leaving commuters and motorists stranded.
The allegation that 15 residents were abducted could not be independently verified.
Niger residents block Mokwa-Bida highway over abduction of 15 persons, demand their release
