Protesters on Friday burnt a section of the palace of the Emir of Zurmi in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State during a demonstration by residents against incessant attacks by bandits in the area.

The protesters, who were mostly from vulnerable rural communities in the area, converged on Zurmi town for the protest, alleging that security agents and the emir, Atiku Abubakar, were not doing enough to protect them.

Many persons had been reported killed in a series of attacks on peasant communities in the area and hundreds of others displaced.

A resident, who spoke with our correspondent but asked not to be named to avoid victimisation, said the bandits had vowed not to allow the locals to farm as the rainy season approaches.

During the protest, the demonstrators reportedly deposited in the emir’s palace the corpses of persons killed by gunmen and set ablaze a section of the palace after the emir allegedly failed to address them.

Police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Shehu, in a statement, said the police were concerned by rising spate of attacks by bandits in Zurmi Local Government Area.

The spokesperson said “the command has deployed additional tactical operatives to Zurmi and its environs to overcome the rising security challenges in the area.

“The operatives have since left Gusau to Zurmi, and they were directed to remain there until normalcy is restored. They were also directed to arrest all criminal elements that have been making lives of innocent people unbearable,” he said.

The police urged residents to remain calm and support security operatives to protect them effectively.

“The police have also embarked on indefinite show of force and confidence building patrol to all the strategic areas of the state. The show of force comprises operatives from all the Police Tactical units of the command

“The show of force is designed to complement and strengthen the operational capacity of Police operatives currently operating in different locations that are prone to activities of recalcitrant armed bandits.

“In the same vein, the Commissioner of Police, Husseini Rabiu, further deployed additional manpower to Zurmi, to support the police and other security operatives in tackling the increasing security challenges in the area, the police statement said.

PT