SATURDAY EDITORIAL

The recent development involving people of Magazu community in Tsafe local government area of Zamfara state is really a source of concern to every well-meaning citizen of Zamfara.

Last four days or so there was an attack in the community which resulted in the abduction of about (43) persons including married women and children.

On Thursday again another deadly attack was launched in the same community which also resulted in the abduction of over (30) persons.

According to the residents of the area, there are over (70) abductees from Magazu community that are in captivity within this month of April 2022 alone.

This is different from serial attacks on the people of the community on different occasions also within few months in 2022.

It could be recalled that, few months back an Imam was shot dead while calling for early morning Azan (prayer) in Magazu and after that attack this medium inclusive of others reported on different occasions how bandits have been launching serial attacks on the people of Magazu community.

One most confusing issue about this Magazu attacks is that, even the security agencies are much more worried about the episodes in Magazu because if not for anything the military had to stationed soldiers permanently in Magazu to ensure security and safety of the people of the area.

But one question that every concern citizen of Zamfara asked about this Magazu episodes is that what has changed since the deployment of the military base in that area? I think the military high authority need to make in-depth investigation to ascertain an answer for this very important question .

Residents said the presence of the military has not changed anything regarding attacks on Magazu people.

“Even with the presence of the military in Magazu we are always wondering why we are being attacked helplessly by the armed bandits and without anyone of them being arrested by the security agencies” said Murtala Ibrahim a resident of Magazu.

Another resident Malam Sani said “the bandits usually come to Magazu firing gunshots without our soldiers responding, and we kept wondering what is the essence of stationing the military in our village since they could not respond appropriately to the mischievous attacks by the bandits”.

Back to the Thursday attack, which according to the residents was the most devastating in the history of the town. I think the government need to be sincere in its security management strategies and approach.

The level of migration by the residents of Magazu has really called for concern because it seems people are becoming helpless and convincingly belief that government has failed in its corporate social responsibility of securing lives and properties.

One annoying thing about the attitude of the government or its agents is that not even a message of condolence was sent to the people of Magazu town either in the first or the last incident of Thursday.

If we live in a serious society where life of the citizens matters to the government, the Acting Governor is supposed to visit Magazu and console with them over the tragic incidence and also explain to them what government is doing to secure the release of those over (70) people in abduction.

If the Acting Governor could not go to Magazu for whatever reason, Tsafe which is the local government headquarters of the Magazu town has four commissioners including Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs at least one of them can pay a visit to Magazu on behalf of the state government so that the people can feel a sense of belonging.

The attitude of the government toward people of Magazu is a clear indicator that people will judge that government does not care more about the victims of this armed bandit attacks.

The manners in which residents of Magazu are flying out of the town to Tsafe and Gisau is really showing us that the days ahead are hard ones unless government is ready to take the appropriate steps of changing its strategies toward fighting banditry.

As at 3:30pm when we left Magazu town on Friday (yesterday 99.9% of the residents of the town have left and where they moved to, especially Tsafe is not safer considering re-occurrence of tragic attacks by the bandits.

Just last month or so, Tsafe town was attacked and a child of a serving Commissioner alongside three other persons were shot dead and serially, however, Tsafe town has come under attacks of armed bandits for several times in two months.

It is our candid opinion that the government and indeed the security agencies need to change strategies and secure the entire Zaria-Gusau highway,, especially from the Yankara border town of Zamfara to Tsafe.

It is important because without doing that people would remain scary of that road. I am sure all the towns along that highway except may be Yankara are under serious security threat and have records of armed bandits invasions.

The government also need to renew effort to secure Gusau Dansadau road because things are becoming out of hand along that road.

Even on Friday (Yesterday) two lorries (Canter Mitsubishi) conveying passengers to Gusau from Dansadau were attacked and all the people in the vehicle were abducted according to a source who confirmed this to Thunder Blowers.

And again at exactly 12:00pm same Friday (Yestery) another passengers travelling to Gusau along Jangeme were also attacked and abducted by the bandits.

This is really a serious issue of concern and the government need to sit up. Life of the citizens should matter more.

May Allah help us……