Zamfara youth stage highway blockade in protest against escalating bandit activities

Angry youths took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking the Gusau-Kaura Namoda highway near the Sakajiki community to protest the resurgence of terrorist attacks, abductions, and violence in Zamfara State.

The marauding terrorists targeted the community, abducting women, k#lling several residents, and setting numerous houses on fire.

The protesters claimed that the bandits even used a stolen police patrol vehicle (Hilux) to loot food supplies from the community.

As a result of the attacks, the community’s residents have fled, with houses, schools, mosques, and shops shut down.

According to eyewitnesses, the bandits struck the village on Monday night, allegedly k#lling a mobile police officer.

The youths from Sakajiki village took to the highway in large numbers on Tuesday, blocking traffic for about five hours.

The tension escalated to the point where the State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Shehu Dalijan, arrived on the scene. He was accompanied by the Emir of Kaura Namoda, Sanusi Muhammad Asha, whose presence caught the attention of the protesters.

The Emir urged the Sakajiki village youths to calm down, assuring them that security forces were taking strong measures to address the persistent banditry in the village and the state.

Speaking to the people, the State Police Commissioner mentioned that he visited the village at the request of Governor Dauda Lawal. He promised that the state government would deploy additional security personnel with advanced weaponry to the area.