By Francis Sardauna
Irked by the persistent attacks by bandits on their communities, youths in their numbers yesterday staged a protest and set ablaze a police outpost at Daddara village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The protesters, who barricaded the ever-busy Katsina-Jibia highway at Daddara town, lamented the deteriorating security situation in the area.
The angry youths, armed with green leaves, while chanting different war songs, said banditry and kidnapping for ransom have remained a daily occurrence in their communities, despite the presence of security personnel.
The protesters claimed that police officers, who were on ground to avert the protest, killed one of their members and left many others with varying degree of injuries.
One of the protesters, Adamu Dahiru, told THISDAY in a telephone interview that they embarked on the peaceful protest over worsening insecurity orchestrated by bandits who have been launching mayhem on villages in the area for the past 30 days.
He said: “We are highly disappointed with the grave security challenges facing our communities despite police; presence that is why we embarked on the protest. Sadly, the police came and started shooting indiscriminately where they killed my brother and injured many others”.
But the State Police Command said the protesters set ablaze police outpost, many vehicles and one AK-47 rifle belonging to officers stationed at the outpost in the area.
The spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, who confirmed the development, said the command has arrested 42 people in connection with the protest that turned bloody in the community.
Isah, a Superintendent of Police, explained that those apprehended would face the full wrath of the law.
He lamented that residents who were supposed to assist security personnel in tackling banditry in the state, were busy confronting them.
He said: “The rioters burnt several vehicles and our police outpost in Daddara. They also set ablaze AK-47 rifle of our security personnel deployed at the Daddara outpost and many other items”.
“We have succeeded and arrested 42 of the rioters and we will ensure that they are taken to court and prosecuted for the offences they have committed”.
