Oct. 21, 2013
Police and soldiers fired repeatedly into the air on Saturday to disperse a mob that launched an attack on the motorcade of Zamfara state acting governor, Sanusi Rikiji, witnesses and police said.
Hundreds of youth hurled stones and used sticks on the convoy, accusing the state government of failing to provide security in the area. The attack occurred in Birnin-magajiin, headquarters of Birnin-magaji Local Government Area of the state, witnesses say.
There were no reported fatalities or injuries. Police said authorities said investigation had begun into the attack.
One eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria that the angry youth took the decision in response to what they described as the poor security provision in the state, among other grievances.
Mr Rikiji, who is also the speaker of the State House of Assembly, was in the area to condole the families of three Fulani youth allegedly killed on Thursday by attackers from Tudun-Kuya village in the local government.
The killers of the three deceased were said to have suspected them of being members of “the Fulani killer gangs” said to be terrorising villages in different parts of the state, NAN reported.
The youth descended on the acting governor’s convoy as they arrived the village, using stones and sticks. It took the combined efforts of the police escort, the military and the State Security Service, who fired into the air to disperse the mob.
The Police Command in Zamfara said it was probing the “unfortunate” attack. Read full on PremiumTimes
