Driven by grief and desperation after relentless gunmen attacks that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands, women in Zamfara State flooded a major highway, demanding justice and urgent government intervention to end the bloodshed tearing through their communities.
The group, largely made up of widows, wives, and young women, converged on a major road where they blocked traffic, chanting protest songs in a symbolic show of outrage over the worsening insecurity.
The protest took place in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where women from the Jimrawa community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area gathered to voice their grievances.
Some of the women, dressed in black to mourn victims of the violence, held placards with messages calling for immediate security intervention and an end to the wave of attacks that have devastated local villages.
During the protest, which took place on Friday, the women accused authorities of neglecting rural areas, warning that the absence of basic infrastructure and the slow response of security forces had worsened their plight.
They stressed that without access roads and effective communication systems, security operatives would continue to arrive late to distress calls, giving attackers more time to inflict harm.
Speaking during the demonstration, one community leader lamented that poor road networks had given criminals the freedom to operate without restraint.
“We are left at the mercy of bandits who kill, kidnap, and destroy our villages without fear. The government must come to our aid before it’s too late,” she said.
The Guild learnt from residents that more than 100 people have been killed in recent weeks, with many others abducted or displaced.
Zamfara, like much of north-western Nigeria, has battled years of coordinated armed attacks on villages, markets, and highways. The recent surge in violence has forced countless families to flee, abandoning their farms and livelihoods.
As of press time, security agencies had not responded to the protesters’ demands, but community members vowed to sustain their agitation until decisive action is taken to protect lives and property.
