Indigenes of Sokoto State have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise security in the Northwest, warning that ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Illala–Badagry Super Highway, will yield little benefit if rural communities remain under siege by bandits.

The call was made during a town hall meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Sokoto, where residents raised concerns over both the slow progress of the highway and the deteriorating security environment.

Alhaji Sani Mai Tawul, Secretary of the Sokoto State Chamber of Commerce, Mines, and Agriculture, said insecurity has become the most pressing obstacle to development in the region. He noted that farmers are being forced to pay illegal levies to access their lands.

“The people of the Northwest need nothing more than security from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Farmers are eager to harvest their crops, but they are being forced to pay bandits before they can reach their farms. This is unacceptable,” Mai Tawul said.

He acknowledged that the administration’s programmes in infrastructure, agriculture, and social welfare have brought visible progress to Sokoto, but maintained that such gains cannot be sustained in the absence of security.

Government officials at the meeting highlighted ongoing investments in road construction, education, and agricultural support.

Representing the Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the Acting Head of the Federal Information Centre in Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulkadir, said the meeting was meant to both showcase achievements and capture citizens’ concerns for onward transmission to the Federal Government.

Abdulkadir assured participants that projects such as the Illala–Badagry Super Highway remain on the agenda, alongside broader efforts to stabilise the region.

“The sensitisation campaign is not only to present what has been achieved but also to listen and report back to the government for effective service delivery,” he explained.

Traditional leaders, civil society groups, and state officials present at the gathering echoed the concerns, stressing that without decisive security measures, economic opportunities will remain out of reach for farmers and traders.

At the close of the town hall, participants renewed their appeal for faster completion of the highway and a more urgent federal response to insecurity, arguing that both are critical for unlocking the economic potential of the Northwest.