(Youths Protesting. Photo Credit: Punch News)
Young residents of Mabudi, the headquarters of Langtang South Local Government Area in Plateau State, took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the prolonged water scarcity that has continued to plague their community.
They issued a stern warning that they may withhold their votes in future elections if the crisis is not swiftly resolved.
The demonstrators turned out in large numbers, marching through the community dressed in T-shirts bearing the inscription “No Water, No Vote” while chanting slogans to drive home their demands.
Several protesters also carried placards calling for the immediate provision of clean and safe drinking water, decrying the general lack of basic amenities in the area.
According to repoerts, a youth leader, Mr. Nanlir Gambo, explained that the protest was aimed at compelling government officials and elected representatives at both the state and national levels to take urgent and concrete steps toward establishing a sustainable water supply system in the area.
He made clear that the youths were done tolerating empty promises from politicians who exploit their needs during election campaigns only to abandon them afterward.
Gambo further lamented that residents have been left with no choice but to rely on unsafe and unhygienic water sources, a situation he described as completely unacceptable.
He highlighted the particularly heavy toll the water shortage has taken on women and children, who are forced to travel long distances on foot just to fetch water for daily use.
He stressed that the youths are firmly united in their resolve and are demanding immediate government intervention without further delay.
In response to the protests, the Chief Press Secretary to the Langtang South LGA Executive Chairman, Mr. Butko Iliya, disclosed that the council had already put temporary relief measures in place to ease the situation.
He stated that the Council Chairman, Nanfa Nbin, has been deploying water tankers to communities since the dry season began, ensuring that at least one tanker reaches each village on a daily basis.
Iliya also noted that the council had received instructions from the Plateau State Government to step up its efforts in tackling the water shortage.
On a broader level, the Plateau State Ministry of Water Resources and Energy has moved to address the crisis through both short-term and long-term intervention measures.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lohnan V. Gambo, personally led a high-level delegation to the area following a direct appeal by the council chairman to Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang.
During his visit on Tuesday, Gambo revealed that the governor had directed the ministry to act urgently while simultaneously working toward sustainable solutions, adding that a comprehensive geophysical survey had already been launched across Mabudi and its surrounding communities.
The delegation was received on behalf of the council chairman by the Council Secretary, Nanman Domtau, who expressed gratitude for the government’s prompt response and pledged the council’s full cooperation.
The Galadima of Mabudi, Chief Ringjul Dashe, also weighed in, underscoring the fundamental importance of water to human life and commending the government for acting swiftly in response to the people’s plight.
On a wider national scale, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has flagged Nigeria’s water situation as a severe crisis. An estimated 179 million Nigerians currently lack access to safely managed drinking water, despite the country’s abundant water resources.
As of 2026, between 60 and 70 million people still lack access to even basic water supply, while approximately 114 million lack adequate sanitation facilities.
The consequences are devastating, with the crisis claiming the lives of over 70,000 children annually through diarrheal diseases alone.
