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John Adams, Minna
Youths in their hundreds from communities in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Tuesday defied the stay-at-home order by the government to contain the spread of COVID 19 and took to the street to register their displeasure over what they called “government inaction and insensitivity” to the continued killing of their people by armed bandits.
The protesting youths were drawn from 14 communities in Rafi local government area that have been under siege from armed bandits, killing about 45 villagers, rustle over 2,000 cattle and kidnaping 15 people with N8.5million paid as ransom for their release in the last four months alone.
The youth under the auspices of Amalgamation of Youths Development Association, Rafi LGA, marched through the hitherto busy but desolate Kagara highway with a simple message, “Enough is Enough” over the relentless massacre of their people by bandits with the government paying little or no attention to curb the situation.
The youths were particularly angered by the removal of a mobile police base from Uregi community, which was established three years ago at the height of the bandits attacks and cattle rustling, describing the action as “a complete betrayal of the people by the government”.
The removal of the police mobile base, according to them has further worsened the already deteriorating security situation in the communities.
The protest is coming barely one week after eight people were killed and seven local vigilantes, including their commander, were ambushed and slaughtered by the bandits when bullets could not penetrate their bodies.
