Following the genocide in the village of Gaya an outskirt of Unashi, Ribah, in Danko Wasagu Local Government of Kebbi, where Bandits attacked and operated non stop killing about 100 persons and injuring hundreds while thousands were displaced, the governor of kebbi state, Sen. Atiku Bagudu visited the village on 5th June 2021 a day after the genocide, OBSERVERS TIMES exclusively gathered.
The governor arrived in a aeroplane in zuru air field in the afternoon, from there, he drove on his motorcade and entourage to Ribah and moved straight to the village of Gaya to console the victims. He tarried in the village for about an hour or more making speeches and appealing to the villagers to stay calm, promising aid to the victims and also pledging to deploy more security agents to secure the villages.
After his condolence visitation, the governor and his entourage started their journey back home but this time around something unusual happened. On reaching to Waje a village before Ribah, the Governor stumbled on a large crowd of Youths who blocked his way and started shouting at him. The protesting youths burnt tires and some were seen exchanging words with the governor’s security escorts. The angry youths blocked the bridge connecting waje village to Ribah which happens to be the only passage the governor most use to return to Zuru before taking off to birnin kebbi. After some delay, the soldiers escorting the governor started shooting guns to scare the crowd and make way for the governor. Police threw teargas at the youths which provoked them further, making some of them to start throwing stones on the cars escorting the governor.
According to the eye witnesses, who confided in OBSERVERS TIMES, the angry youths were saying that the governor is insensitive to their plight and responsible for the escalation of the security challenges which have claimed the lives of hundreds of people and also displaced hundreds of villages. One young simply identified as Ibrahim said ” the governor disarmed our local vigilantee, intimidate and demoralized them. He his government also arrested some of their leaders and they are still holding them in detention but with all the atrocities and incessant killings of our people by the armed herdsmen, non of them is arrested not to talk of detention. The governor is the one that weakened our local defence and all he could do now is to pay condolence visits, make promises as usual and leave after which the Bandits will return and kill more people. There is conspiracy against our people and nobody will stop us from protesting”
Another protester was heard saying” even in America they protest against bad government, protest is a fundamental human right” he continued “why are his soldiers shooting guns at us ? why can’t they go and face the Bandits? Why waxing muscles on the innocent and armless protesters! He should resign if he can not protect the lives of people he has sworn to do”
After the incidence in Waje, the governor meet another angry mob in Ribah Town and in response to the shooting of guns and throwing teargas to make way for the governor by his security aids, the protesting youths started throwing objects at the vehicles conveying the governor breaking down the glasses of almost all the cars. It was also gathered that one Hilux truck was burnt down by the mob.
There is anger, fear and anxiety across the villages in Kebbi South and most especially, Danko Wasagu Local Government. Thousands have already been displaced and made homeless. The massive influx or exodus of migrants villagers to the major towns of zuru Emirate have already created a serious humanitarian emergency situation. People are being killed on daily basis leaving the survivors wandering from one town to the other with no food and a place to sleep. Aged persons , women and children are the most affected, starvation have already set in and many are facing serious health challenges and this will not be unconnected to malnutrition faced by the victims. The government of the day have failed woefully in all ramifications and dimensions hence the people are now demanding to be allowed to secure their lives without the interference or hindrance by the government. They complained that by disarming, intimidating, arresting and demoralizing the local vigilantee members called Yan Sakai, the government of the day have made it easier for Bandits to be doing what they are doing to them today. Anger and frustrations are understatement to describe the present feelings of the people of Zuru emirate and it’s seems the youths are now ready to face the situation regardless of the implications.
” If we have one third of the guns these Bandits are holding, they can not stand us or face us. The only advantage Bandits have over us are guns, if not on a physical combat I can kill ten of them. There are also people among us that are betraying us and they have been working very hard to make sure that we don’t defend ourselves, they are the ones giving ill advice to the governor, we know them, they pretend as if they are worried but in reality they are the enablers of the terrorism that have befallen us” one young man was also heard saying