The Coalition of Niger North Youth Forum has raised concern over the plight of widows and girls from more than 80 communities in Mariga LGA of Niger State who husbands and fathers have been killed by bandits.
The group alleged that the people are enduring hardships without adequate support from the government.
At a joint media briefing in Minna on Thursday, president Sahabi Mamuda Auna and secretary Jibrin Aliyu Matane of the forum highlighted the challenges faced by the affected people.
They explained that some widows and girls have resorted to marriage as a means of survival, while others are struggling to avoid engaging in social vices.
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espite expressing interest in acquiring entrepreneurship skills, the forum lamented the lack of government support to empower the people to be self-reliant.
The forum called on the minister of Women Affairs to provide assistance to the widows and girls instead of impeding their marriage, which is considered a religious practice in the community.
Mariga LGA, according to the forum, is one of the worst-hit areas by bandits’ activities, resulting in the displacement of more than 80 communities.
The residents have been forced to abandon their homes, livelihoods and businesses, in desperate search of means to survive. Many have turned to begging and other social vices.
The forum alleged that some displaced widows and girls have been compelled to resort to prostitution due to hunger and hardship, while others are reportedly being held captive and subjected to rape by bandits, with little to no government intervention.
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