By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO:- Concerned citizens in Sokoto State have expressed frustration over the slow pace of work on the ongoing Illala–Badagry Super Highway project, describing it as a setback to economic development and regional integration.

The call for urgent intervention was made by Ahmed Shehu during a town hall meeting organized by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, held in Sokoto to sensitize Nigerians on the mid-term achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Participants at the meeting lamented that the highway, which has been under construction for years, remains far from completion, thereby undermining trade, transportation, and access to markets for farmers and traders across the Northwest.

The Secretary of the Sokoto State Chamber of Commerce, Mines, and Agriculture, Alhaji Sani Mai Tawul, seized the opportunity to draw attention to the plight of the people. He stressed that beyond physical infrastructure, what the Northwest needs most urgently from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is lasting security.

Mai Tawul explained that insecurity has crippled farming and commerce in the region, as bandits continue to impose illegal taxes and levies on farmers before they are allowed access to their farmlands. He warned that if the trend persists, food insecurity and economic stagnation will worsen in the zone.

“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 declared.

While acknowledging the notable achievements of the administration in infrastructure, agriculture, and social intervention programs, the Chamber’s Secretary maintained that such gains cannot be sustained unless the security situation is decisively addressed.

He emphasized that the Renewed Hope Agenda has delivered tangible dividends of democracy in Sokoto State, citing road projects, agricultural support, and intervention schemes.

However, he warned that these efforts will amount to little if rural communities remain under the siege of criminal gangs.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the Acting Head of the Federal Information Centre in Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Abdulkadir, outlined several achievements of the administration in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, education, and social welfare.

Abdulkadir explained that the sensitization campaign was not only to showcase progress but also to listen to the concerns of citizens and report them back to the Federal Government for effective service delivery.

He reassured participants that the government remains committed to completing ongoing projects, including the Illala–Badagry Super Highway, while also addressing the security challenges confronting the Northwest.

The town hall meeting drew participants from traditional institutions, government agencies, Sokoto State officials, civil society groups, and members of the general public, all of whom voiced strong concerns about insecurity and the slow pace of road construction.

In the end, citizens reiterated their appeal to President Tinubu to accelerate the completion of the highway and to provide a decisive security response that will restore confidence, protect farmers, and open up the economic potential of the Northwest.