GUSAU, Nigeria – In a desperate plea for protection, hundreds of residents from a remote village in Zamfara State stormed the Government House in Gusau on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, seeking refuge and government intervention against ongoing threats from bandits.
The group, predominantly women and children, was compelled to leave their homes following the recent withdrawal of military personnel from their area.
Umar Salisu, one of the displaced villagers, recounted the harrowing circumstances that led to their exodus.
“Before now, there were military personnel attached to our village. Some of them were killed by bandits while some were withdrawn last Sunday,” Salisu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “There are no security personnel in our area now. That is why we decided to carry all our wives and children to come to Government House and seek for government’s intervention.”
Another community member, Aisha Usman, expressed her concerns about the lack of security.
“We are highly disturbed. We receive threats of attacks from bandits almost on a daily basis. There are no security personnel to protect us. We are seeking for government’s intervention,” Usman said.
Wakkala Gurgu also emphasized the urgency of their situation, saying, “We decided to come to Government House to inform the government about security threats in our community. We want the government to take quick action as regards the security situation. Bandits are currently in our communities. We want government to help us and deploy security personnel to our area.”
In response to the villagers’ distress, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, addressed the crowd on behalf of the state government. He reassured them of the government’s commitment to resisting negotiations with bandits and outlined plans to address the security lapses.
“The government of Governor Dauda Lawal maintains its stand that it will not negotiate with bandits. I am happy with the way and manner you have conducted yourselves. I urge you to continue to be patient. Government has been making efforts to end lingering security challenges in the state,” Madawaki stated.
Madawaki also announced that the government had made arrangements to return the fleeing villagers to their community under the protection of security operatives. This move aims to restore normalcy and ensure the safety of the affected residents as they continue to face threats from local bandit groups.
