1 killed as residents protest bandit attacks in Kano

At least one person is confirmed dead, while the office of the chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Area was burnt during a protest by residents over rising insecurity in the area. The protesters also blocked the Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road for several hours on Sunday, demanding an end to recurring bandit attacks allegedly carried out by criminals […]

At least one person is confirmed dead, while the office of the chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Area was burnt during a protest by residents over rising insecurity in the area.

The protesters also blocked the Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road for several hours on Sunday, demanding an end to recurring bandit attacks allegedly carried out by criminals from neighbouring communities in Katsina State.

A resident, Zayyanu Rabiu, told Daily Trust that the deceased was suspected to have died from the effects of teargas and smoke from burning tyres during the protest.

“From around 8am, the protesters blocked the road, calling for government intervention to end the bandit attacks in the area,” he said.

“People burnt tyres and later attacked the local government secretariat, setting the chairman’s office ablaze. As I speak to you, the road is gradually being reopened,” he added.

He added that communities in the area had come under frequent attacks involving killings and cattle rustling.

Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the protest started from Kwanar Lakwaya before spreading into Gwarzo town.

“The protesters started pelting police vehicles with stones, forcing the police to fire teargas before retreating. The protesters later entered the town, continued burning tyres and eventually invaded the local government secretariat,” he said.

The resident, however, said calm had been restored following the deployment of additional security personnel from Kano, while the blocked road had been reopened to motorists.

Efforts to obtain official reaction from the Nigeria Police Force were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to the state police spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

Gwarzo is among the boundary local government areas in Kano State that have recently witnessed repeated bandit attacks, resulting in killings, kidnappings, and cattle rustling.