Protesters block Kano-Katsina highway over bandit attacks, killings

Angry residents and youth groups on Sunday blocked the strategic highway linking Kano and Katsina states, halting vehicular movement along the Dayi-Gwarzo corridor in protest against relentless bandit attacks and escalating insecurity in their communities.

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The demonstration erupted between noon and 1 p.m. at border communities between Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State and Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, leaving hundreds of commuters and motorists stranded.

Protesters erected makeshift barricades, chanted slogans, and warned travellers to turn back, declaring that the vital interstate route would remain shut.

The blockade was still ongoing when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter travelling to Kano left the scene after protesters refused to allow vehicles passage.

Speaking at the protest scene, an aggrieved youth leader said the community was forced to take drastic action following a series of devastating and unprovoked raids by armed bandits.

“Yesterday alone, they came and killed three of our people,” the youth leader said.

“For the past week, these criminals have been attacking us regularly, invading our towns in broad daylight. They ride into our neighbourhoods on motorcycles, act with complete impunity, and steal our livestock in large numbers.”

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The protesters expressed frustration over what they described as the failure of state and federal security structures.

They alleged that despite repeated distress calls during attacks, security personnel often arrived hours after the assailants had fled.

“A thief will come to your doorstep at four in the afternoon to steal cattle, and when you call the authorities, nobody shows up until 8:00 p.m.,” another resident said.

“Where is the promise of 24-hour security? We can no longer go to our farms, we cannot protect our primary schools, and we are being starved in our own communities. Protesting is our only way to make the government understand the severity of our situation.”

The Dayi-Gwarzo axis serves as a major economic and transit route in Nigeria’s North-west.

Local leaders at the scene warned that the blockade would continue until concrete security guarantees and permanent military checkpoints are established to protect border communities from growing banditry and kidnapping.

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PREMIUM TIMES sought official reactions from the respective state police commands. While the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command promised to investigate the matter and respond, his Kano State counterpart did not respond to multiple calls and a text message sent to his official line before press time.

Commuters travelling between Kano and Katsina or Sokoto are advised to suspend their journeys or seek alternative routes, as tension remains high along the corridor.