Northern Residents Protest Against Communities Allegedly Aiding Bandits

Residents in northern Nigeria stage protests, accusing certain communities of providing support to bandits, demanding stronger actions from authorities.

On Friday, November 29, 2024, hundreds of residents from Moriki in Zamfara State, located in northwestern Nigeria, held a massive protest. They accused neighboring communities of assisting armed terrorist groups.

The protest, spanning roughly five hours from 11:50 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., disrupted the weekly Moriki market.

Protesters obstructed access roads, stopping villagers from 11 neighboring communities—such as Tudun Moriki, Tudun Sansami, Jaya, Karin Masu, and Kadage—from entering the market.

The demonstrators alleged that these communities were aiding terrorists who engaged in repeated attacks, killings, and kidnappings in Moriki.

Danbaba Ya’u, a Moriki resident and protest participant, stated to HumAngle: “We urge the Nigerian government authorities to prevent the accused residents from entering our local community market as they are also bandits.”

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Ya’u also claimed that the neighboring villagers were serving as informants for armed groups. “We consistently experience terrorist attacks whenever residents from these ungoverned areas enter our town without any intervention from government security forces. They are infiltrating from villages controlled by terror gangs, spying on us, and providing them with extensive information about our activities, movements, and profiles,” he stated.

He mentioned that even after paying a ₦30 million protection fee demanded by the armed groups, the Moriki community was still unable to access their farmlands for cultivation during the season. “This prompted the community to block all routes used by these armed groups and allied villages to enter Moriki territory,” Ya’u explained.

The protest included local vigilantes, government-backed Community Protection Guards, and armed residents. Nigerian military and police forces were on the scene to ensure the demonstration remained peaceful.

Bawa Sarkin Tasha, a fellow resident of Moriki who has been kidnapped three times, also expressed his distress. He revealed that 17 of his relatives are still being held by the bandits.

The Zurmi Local Government Area, home to Moriki, has suffered continual assaults from armed groups, especially in rural regions with limited governmental security presence. This persistent violence has compelled certain communities to collaborate with the terrorists by offering intelligence and other forms of assistance in return for protection.

For the last three weeks, residents alleged to have supported armed groups have been prohibited from entering the Moriki market, a vital economic center for the area. This prolonged standoff has intensified divisions and mistrust between Moriki and its neighboring communities.