Residents of Gusau, the Zamfara state capital have lamented what they called increased in the number of bandits’ attacks in the metropolis.
Residents spoken to by 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE said the terrorists are now becoming daring.
An independent investigation made by this newspaper showed that the terrorists have attacked areas in Gusau for three consecutive days.
A local journalist, Abdul Balarabe, said residents of Gusau are no longer safe.
“We should not be playing a game of pretence because, many areas within Gusau the state capital have been under the fear of Bandits attack for some months now. Areas like Damba, Mareri, part of Jauri to mention but a few. It is time government go back to the drawing board and develop new strategies that may be active but for now, it is evidently clear that, things are falling apart,” he said.
He added that he felt the strategies being implemented by security agents in the state are not working especially with the recent increase in the number of attacks on the state capital.
“The government must agree with us that the security strategies are not working well and unless this bitter truth is accepted we shall not underestimate what these bandits may do eventually,” Abdul Balarabe said.
On Saturday night, bandits abducted a staff of the Zamfara Inland Revenue Service, Shafiu Yahaya, in his residence.
An anonymous source said the civil servant was abducted few minutes after he returned home.
“His next door neighbor said he heard when he (Shafiu) returned around 10:00pm. It was some minutes after that we bagan hearing gunshots. Walahi I heard more than ten gunshots. It was around midnight that my friend whose house is closer to that of Shafiu told me that it was him that the bandits picked,” he said.
He added that if bandits could come to Tsauni area and make away with such abduction, then no one would be considered safe in the state capital.
Another abduction that surprised residents was that of a business man, Bilyaminu Orto, who was also abducted on Saturday night around 11:45pm.
He was abducted in Bulunku, an area behind the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA Gusau.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE gathered that the bandit had to smashed a part of his fence to get access into his house and took him away.
On Thursday, residents of Mareri said they couldn’t sleep do to sounds of gunshots.
Ahmad Bello, a staff of the Federal University Gusau, who resides in Mareri Quarters said he had to take his family back to his family house in Birnin Ruwa on Friday.
“My children kept crying throughout the night because it was as if the bandits were in our house. Though they didn’t take anyone that particular night, we still have many people from the areas who are in captivity.
“I’m seriously confused because Gusau is supposed to be secured at least. But from here to Damba, the federal university site and even back to the Lalan area, nobody is safe. How could these bandits be so daring and why is the government doing nothing?”
The bandits’ attack, according to other sources like Umar Mustapha, was repelled by soldiers.
“If not because of the timely arrival of the soldiers, the bandits would have abducted Dan Gusau, an Immigration and a civil servant Bashir Muhammad Anka because they were heading towards their residences. In fact, they had already broken into Dan Gusau’s house when the soldiers arrived,” he said.
Abdul Balarabe said bandits also attacked Filin Jirgi area on Friday night. 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that Filin Jirgi is along Zaria by pass in the metropolis.
The police public relations officer in the state, SP Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to and SMS sent to him on the attacks while his line was unreachable for a call.
