Residents of several communities in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday, demanding urgent government intervention to address the surge in bandit attacks.

The protest, which began around noon, saw large crowds of residents--on motorcycles, in vehicles, and on foot--march through the state capital, eventually converging at the main gate of the Government House in Gusau.

Villages including Mada, Ruwan Bore, Fegin Baza, Bangi, Lilo, Wonaka, and Fegin Mahe have suffered repeated assaults, with locals claiming over 100 people have been killed in recent months.

One of the protesters, Malam Abubakar Abdullahi from Fegin Mahe, said he lost several relatives to the violence and had goods worth over N1 million--including 500 bags of fertiliser--looted from his shop.

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The insecurity has also disrupted farming activities, with residents saying it is increasingly unsafe to work on their land.

Reacting to the protest, the Chairman of Gusau Local Government Council, Hon. Abubakar Iman--represented by Aminu Wakili Mada--acknowledged the grievances of residents from Mada, Ruwan Bore, and Fegin Mahe.

He assured that the state government, in collaboration with security agencies, is working to restore peace and would soon deploy operatives to the most affected areas.

Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, for comment were unsuccessful as he did not respond to multiple calls.

In a related development, security operatives have rescued 11 kidnap victims from a forest in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The victims--abducted by bandits from Kaibaba village in Turba ward of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State--were handed over to the Sokoto State Government on Wednesday.