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Residents of Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Friday took to the streets to protest the worsening wave of kidnappings, attacks and insecurity ravaging their communities.

The protest, which reportedly attracted residents from different parts of the local government, was fueled by growing concerns over repeated attacks and abductions allegedly carried out by armed criminals operating in vulnerable communities.

The demonstrators expressed frustration over the deteriorating security situation, saying persistent attacks had left residents living in fear and severely disrupted farming, trading and other economic activities.

They called on the Federal Government and the Sokoto State Government to urgently deploy additional security personnel and operational equipment to communities considered vulnerable to attacks.

The protesters also demanded increased patrols, surveillance and intelligence-driven operations, urging security agencies to identify, track and apprehend those responsible for the attacks.

According to residents, the insecurity has become a major threat to their livelihoods, particularly as farmers struggle to access their farmlands without fear of being attacked or kidnapped.

They warned that unless urgent action was taken, continued attacks could force more residents to abandon their homes and farms, further worsening food production and economic hardship in the area.

The protesters also called for closer coordination among the military, police and other security agencies to strengthen the fight against banditry and kidnapping.

Confirming the development, the Sokoto State Police Command said it was aware of the situation and assured residents that security operatives were “on top of the situation.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ahmad Rufai, said the command was monitoring developments and had taken necessary measures to safeguard lives and property in the affected area.

The police assurance came as anxiety remained high among residents, who insisted that more visible and sustained security operations were needed to restore confidence and prevent further attacks.

The protest underscores the growing security concerns across parts of Nigeria’s North-West, where banditry and kidnapping have continued to threaten rural communities, disrupt agricultural activities and inflict significant social and economic hardship.

Residents are now demanding concrete action rather than assurances, saying they want to return to their farms, markets and businesses without fear of being attacked or abducted.

They further urged authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering, community-based security initiatives and coordination among security agencies to prevent Tambuwal and surrounding communities from becoming increasingly exposed to criminal attacks.

Vanguard

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The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV) says transportation fares are expected to decrease nationwide from October 1.

This was stated in a communique issued Thursday at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting to review readiness and progress in implementing affordable CNG and electric vehicle transportation.

The stakeholders’ engagement, convened by Pi-CNG & EV, brought together representatives of state governments, including transport commissioners in various states.

“Several states are already making progress towards meeting the federal government’s target through the deployment of CNG and electric mobility solutions,” the communique stated.

Reports from various states captured in the communique showed that several states had deployed CNG and electric buses, tricycles, motorcycles, conversion centres, refuelling facilities, and charging infrastructure.

It also showed that commuters using supported clean mobility services in some states were already paying fares significantly lower than prevailing rates.

The communique said that Niger, for instance, has procured 200 CNG buses, with 35 already operational, alongside 11 electric vehicle charging stations. It said Abia deployed 40 electric buses and 20 charging stations, with plans to increase its fleet to 100 buses by December.

Some stakeholders met in Abuja to review their readiness and progress in implementing affordable CNG and electric vehicle transportation.

Ismaeel Ahmed, the executive chairman of Pi-CNG & EV, said the engagement would focus on addressing infrastructure gaps in states where CNG and electric vehicles were already available but needed additional refuelling, charging, and conversion facilities.

Mr Ahmed said that states agreed to identify their busiest transport corridors and provide relevant data to guide the deployment of additional CNG infrastructure. They are also expected to submit three priority interventions that can realistically be delivered in line with the October 1 target.

Each state is to establish an implementation team comprising officials from the transport, energy and related sectors to work directly with Pi-CNG & EV. The initiative will assign coordinators to facilitate implementation and monitor progress at the state level.

“Private-sector participation will also be prioritised, with state investment promotion agencies expected to work towards a common framework for attracting investments into CNG and EV infrastructure.

“The engagement is to ensure that the lower operating costs of CNG and electric mobility translate into actual savings for commuters. The Federal and state governments are working to make affordable public transportation available to more Nigerians,” Mr Ahmed said.

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Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has began the final phase of its recruitment screening, with shortlisted candidates undergoing documentation, physical fitness assessments and medical screening.

The NCS Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, who made this known on Thursday, said the screening was being conducted at the service’s Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Maiwada said the two-week exercise, which commenced on Monday, would run until September 19 and cover shortlisted applicants for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, ASCII, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.

He said candidates were being screened in batches arranged alphabetically according to their states of origin to prevent congestion and ensure an orderly exercise.

Addressing the candidates, Frank Onyeka, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, said the service was evaluating character and professional conduct alongside physical fitness.

Onyeka congratulated the candidates for reaching the stage and urged them to comply with the guidelines of the exercise.

He said the candidates should remain orderly and strictly adhere to the guidelines, adding that their attitude, discipline and conduct were critical factors in determining who would ultimately join the service.

He also said the NCS was working closely with the Customs Police and other relevant units within the service to safeguard the integrity of the recruitment process.

Also speaking, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs and Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Dow Gaura, said administrative innovations and inter-agency collaboration had helped streamline the exercise.

Gaura said the activities of the recruitment exercise reflected the policy vision of the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, which emphasised continuous operational improvement, collaboration and innovation.

He described the process as seamless and hitch-free, noting that it had been conducted without any casualties.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that screening for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs, ASC, cadre ended on Thursday, while evaluations for the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres would continue until September 19.

The NCS had announced an annual recruitment cycle and released the final list of 3,852 successful candidates for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise on August 4.

The exercise received 573,680 applications for 3,852 positions, with 1,275 candidates selected for the Superintendent Cadre, 367 for the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 for the Customs Assistant Cadre.