The protesting residents of Gauraka community along Abuja-Kaduna expressway have set ablaze a police station in the area following the shooting of a protester by a policeman attached to the Chairman of Tafa Local Government in Niger State, Ibrahim Mami.
Trouble started when the Chairman arrived at the scene of the protest to address and pacify the mob.
It was gathered that his orderly told the crowd not to use their mobile phones to film his boss, but this infuriated the crowd who pelted the Chairman with sachet water.
The policeman was said to have shot a protester in the hand in the process, which further angered the crowd, leading to the burning of the police station located inside Gauraka.
A resident, Tunde Adebayo, who spoke to SaharaReporters lamented the deteriorating security situation in the area which he said had compelled many residents to relocate for the fear of being attacked.
He said, “The situation here is worse. The bandits came to this community and told us that they will be kidnapping every three days. They kidnapped six people initially about three weeks ago. Three days after, they abducted another four people and now they have kidnapped 15 people from AgwanGboko and Agwanboro
“We have complained several times to the Chairman of the local government about it but he did not take any action on it.
“Many people have moved their families out of the community because of the kidnapping and when the bandits have their way now they will hoist their flags on the houses and take over the area.”
Some soldiers from Zuma Barracks who arrived at the scene of the protest in three Hilux vehicles were asked by the protesters to go after kidnappers and rescue those that had been kidnapped so far.
The soldiers allegedly told the protesters that their guns could not match the firepower of the kidnappers which may eventually hamper the rescue operation.
The residents have vowed not to open the road until those abducted are rescued.
Gauraka is few kilometres away from Suleja along Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
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