Irked by the alleged killings of their people on a daily basis by bandits, residents of Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in their hundreds, took to the street to register their grievance.
The angry residents, who were drawn from the affected communities, alleged that as many as 100 people from the LGA were killed by terrorists.
Some of the affected communities include: Mada, Lilo, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Bangi, Wonaka, and Fegin Mahe.
The protesters, who moved on foot, motorcycles, and in vehicles, took their protest to Gusau, the state capital, where they blocked major access roads for over two hours before gathering at the Zamfara Government House.
They carried placards and chanted protest songs, demanding urgent government intervention to halt the killings and kidnappings plaguing their communities.
Some of the placards read: ‘We the people of about 30 communities of Gusau 11 need peace and want to be rescued from bandits,’ and ‘Peace is our concern as we are being killed every day. End banditry in Mada, Lilo, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Bangi, others.’
According to the protesters, villages such as Mada, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Bangi, Lilo, Wonaka, and Fegin Mahe have become hotspots for deadly attacks, with residents reportedly killed or abducted almost daily.
They also lamented being unable to farm since the start of the rainy season due to the frequent attacks, noting that bandits not only kill and kidnap but also loot homes and destroy food supplies.
A protester, Abubakar Abdullahi, from Fegin Mahe, said that he had lost several relatives to bandit attacks. As a farmer and businessman, he also claimed to have lost goods worth over N1 million, including 500 bags of fertilizer worth N65,000 each, looted from his shop during one of the attacks.
“We have cried enough. Our communities are in danger, and no one from the government has come to sympathise with us since this crisis intensified about three months ago,” he said, calling on Governor Dauda Lawal to intervene urgently.
Though the protesters caused no harm to people or damage to property, many vowed not to return to their homes until the state government responded to their demands.
Reacting to the protest, the Chairman of Gusau Local Government Council, Hon. Abubakar Iman, who was represented by Aminu Wakili Mada, acknowledged the outcry from residents of Mada, Ruwan Bore, and Fegin Mahe.
Imam assured that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, was working to restore peace and would soon deploy operatives to the most affected communities.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to addressing the escalating security situation and pledged more engagement with affected residents in the days ahead.