Villagers protest at Zamfara Government House over rising bandit attacks, demanding urgent intervention.
They say farming has stopped, lives are lost, and ransom payments bring no lasting peace.
Hundreds of villagers from Gusau Local Government Area in Zamfara State staged a protest on Wednesday at the entrance of the Government House in Gusau, urging Governor Dauda Lawal to take immediate steps to address escalating insecurity in their communities.
The demonstrators, who came from Ruwan Bore, Mada, Wonaka, Fegin Mahe, and Kanawa, said they were fed up with constant attacks by armed bandits, which have led to widespread displacement and disrupted daily life.
Speaking on behalf of the group, protest leader Malam Ibrahim revealed that thousands have already fled their homes due to ongoing violence. He said farming the main source of livelihood for the residents has come to a halt, as criminals continue to demand levies from farmers.
“Those who refuse to pay are either kidnapped or killed,” he said. “We are pleading with both state and federal authorities to intervene before we are completely forced out of our villages.”
According to him, locals have paid millions of naira in levies and ransom to the armed groups, yet the violence has not stopped. He accused the state government of ignoring their plight, despite the growing number of deaths and kidnappings.
“We have had enough. If the government fails to respond, we will not leave this gate,” he declared, adding that the protesters would remain at the Government House until their concerns are addressed.
Governor Lawal was reportedly out of the state at the time of the protest. Attempts to get a response from his deputy, Malam Mani Mummuni, were unsuccessful, as he declined to speak to the press. Journalists waited for over three hours, but he did not make any public appearance by the time the report was filed.
