Amid rising insecurity in parts of Zamfara State, hundreds of distressed residents have taken to the streets to protest the continued attacks by gunmen on vulnerable communities.
The protesting residents noted that several people have been killed or abducted in recent weeks, with no meaningful intervention from the authorities, leaving many residents to flee their homes in search of safety.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators demanded urgent action from the government to end the violence that has made daily life unbearable.
“We, the people of about 30 communities in Gusau, need peace and want to be rescued from bandits,” read one placard.
Another stated, “Peace is our concern as we are being killed every day. End banditry in Mada, Lilo, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Bangi, and others.”
The protest, which took place on Wednesday in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, brought traffic to a standstill.
Protesters, on foot, motorcycles, and in vehicles, blocked major entry routes into the city for over two hours.
According to the protesters, numerous communities across Gusau Local Government Area—including Mada, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Lilo, Bangi, Wonaka, and Fegin Mahe—have suffered relentless attacks from armed groups.
These attacks have resulted in numerous deaths, abductions, the destruction of homes and farmland, and the displacement of hundreds of residents, many of whom have fled to neighboring villages to escape the violence.
“We’re tired of crying,” said Abubakar Abdullahi, a farmer and trader from Fegin Mahe.
“Our villages are under siege, and for the past three months, not a single government official has come to console us or assess the situation.”
Abdullahi also shared his personal loss, revealing that gunmen raided his shop and stole 500 bags of fertilizer, each valued at ₦65,000, amounting to a financial loss of over ₦1 million.
The protesters further lamented that farming activities have come to a halt despite the ongoing rainy season, as insecurity has driven them away from their farmlands.
They accused the gunmen not only of killing villagers but also of burning homes and looting food stores.
While the demonstration remained peaceful and no public property was damaged, many residents vowed not to leave the protest site until the government takes meaningful action.
Responding to the protest, the Chairman of Gusau Local Government Area, Hon. Abubakar Iman, through his representative Aminu Mada, acknowledged the growing concern.
“We understand the pain of our people,” Wakili stated. “Efforts are underway to deploy security forces to the hardest-hit communities, and dialogue with locals is ongoing.”
