Residents of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara state are currently protesting along Gusau-Zaria road over incessant killings in the state, DAILY NIGERIAN can exclusively report.
Our correspondent gathered that the protesters who are mostly youths and women have taken to streets blocking all roads as well as destroying campaign posters and billboards of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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The protesters are also calling for the resignation of President Buhari and Governor Abdulaziz Yari over what they described as negligence by these constituted authorities.
Similarly, it was reliably gathered that Tsafe Local Government secretariat was razed down by the protesters, in an attempt to register their grievances to the government.
Reacting to the spate of killings in the state, the Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, blamed northern elites for keeping unending silence on the carnage, enumerating three factors as responsible for the leaders’ inactions.
Mr Sani, through his Twitter handle, said: “Northern political elites are silent on the frequent killings and kidnappings in the north out of any of these three reasons; FEAR not to be seen opposing the Government;BELIEF that the President is doing his best; INDIFFERENCE because it’s the poor that are dying.”
However, in his reaction, President Buhari, in a statement by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), condemned the banditry, saying: “These horrendous acts of violence are crimes against humanity. This violence must stop.”
Part of the statement read, “While expressing his deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, the government and people of Zamfara State, the President also wished those injured a speedy recovery.
“The President, who has authorized an assessment trip to Zamfara and Sokoto States by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Baba Sadiq on Christmas & Boxing days, reassured residents of States plagued by armed bandits, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger and Taraba, that their safety is an enduring commitment of his administration and he will continue to ensure that security agencies worked round the clock to protect local populations.
“To this end, a major operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, is being considered to restore peace and stability in the region.
“President Buhari conveyed his strong support to the Nigeria Police Force, which has already deployed Special Forces in each of the local government in Zamfara State and the Defence Headquarters’ deployment of a Special Military Intervention Force comprising more than 1,000 personnel to respond to the security challenges in the North Central and North West.
“These measures, among others, will be intensified to flush out the bandits from wherever they are.
“The President commended Nigerians for their support to our security agencies who have continued to demonstrate dedication, commitment, and bravery even in very difficult and complex operations.”
