DRAMA IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE GUSAU, AS PROTESTERS DROP BANDITS' VICTIM'S BODY

The residents of Jirrawa community in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, felt over stretched by circumstances beyond themselves when yesterday they took their protest to an alarming level. But was it an annoyance taken too far? They took to the Government House in Gusau, and dropped the dead body of an alleged victim of the latest attack of armed bandits there, and they didn't leave without a roaring, noisy protest!


The latest victim was said to have been killed yesterday, when the village was invaded in the morning. "Shafiu Inusa was killed on his farm while he was trying to apply fertilizer on his plants after the rains of last night,” Muhammadu Sani a spokesman of the community said.

The deceased he said further, was just recovering from an earlier gunshot wound inflicted on him when bandits attacked the village four months ago.

"Shafiu’s father was murdered during that first attack, Sani said.

“It is exactly four months now that his (Shafiu) father was killed in a similar attack, because the wives of the old man are completing their four months stay at home as mandated by Islam.

“We gathered from his farm neighbour and brother that initially, one of the bandits appeared before them saying anyone who knew he was guilty should run and who was not should stay.

“Shafiu refused to run and when the others numbering over a hundred arrived, they opened fire and killed him instantly. Here are his remains that we brought for the governor to see and know that this peace initiative is not working for us.
Sani said: “these criminals have always passed by our village without any threat or harassment until the last few months.

“So far, they have attacked us more than eight times and have killed many people.

“Even while on our way to Gusau today, we received a phone call that they also killed one Bala Danrabi, a vigilante group leader who had always fought the bandits,” he said.

NAN