Zamfara Residents Protest Insecurity, Demand Government Action
On Thursday, August 7, 2025, hundreds of residents from over 30 villages in the Dan-Isa and Kagara districts of the Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area in Zamfara State staged a peaceful protest in Gusau, the state capital.
The demonstration served as a desperate plea for government intervention to address the escalating insecurity plaguing their communities. Many of the protesters were women and children, and they marched to the Government House carrying placards with messages such as "We Need Peace in Kaura-Namoda Villages" and "End Killings and Kidnapping Now."
A community leader, who spoke to journalists, explained that the protest was a last resort following years of relentless bandit attacks, kidnappings, and killings. He noted that many men from their communities had been killed or abducted by bandits, leaving women and children to bear the brunt of the crisis. He also highlighted that farmers are unable to access their farmlands because bandits demand levies or kidnap those who refuse to pay.
The protesters specifically called on Governor Dauda Lawal, Minister of State for Defence Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent action to secure their communities. They vowed not to leave the streets or return to their villages until adequate security is provided. This was reportedly the second such protest in Gusau within a week, indicating a growing frustration among the populace over the security situation in the state. Security personnel were deployed around the Government House to ensure the protest remained peaceful.
