From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
Police operatives in Zamfara state yesterday dispersed hundreds of protesters from Barakallahu area of Gusau metropolis, who were on a peaceful demonstration to demand compensation of farm lands and houses promised by the state government six months ago.
It was alleged that a security report had eventually prevented Governor Yari from attending his office yesterday, in Government House, Gusau, the state capital, to listen to the demand of the protesters, a situation that spurred the demonstrators to vow to reside at the entrance of the Government House until he attends to them.
Speaking with newsmen during the protest, the spokesman of the affected community, Sa’adu Surajo lamented that, “The state government had taken over 4,000 legitimately occupied farmlands and over 1000 houses from us, with the impression of paying compensation in six months, but we have not yet witnessed anything in that direction”.
A woman in a midst of the protest, Hajiya Aisha, said her only house was also collected by the state government, upon which she was promised to be well compensated to either afford construction of another one to live in with her orphans or purchase ready-made, but was denied all access to any lucrative information that would lead to hope-building.
Some of the people dispersed around the area, whose motorcycles were also seized by the Police, complained that they were there to see their mechanic to fix some mechanical problems developed by their motorcycles, but could not know why they were involved.
As at the time of compiling this report, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, DSP Lawal Abdullahi, could neither pick several calls nor call back with a response.
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