At least one person was reportedly shot dead on Sunday when protesters blocked the strategic Kano-Katsina highway at the Dayi-Gwarzo corridor over relentless bandit attacks, extortion, and worsening insecurity in their border communities.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the demonstration erupted between noon and 1:00 p.m. at the border between Gwarzo Local Government Area in Kano State and Malumfashi Local Government Area in Katsina State.
The protesters erected barricades, chanted slogans, and warned travellers to turn back, declaring the vital interstate route would remain closed. Hundreds of commuters and motorists were left stranded.
The blockade was still in force when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter travelling to Kano was forced to turn back after protesters refused to allow vehicles through.
Alleged fatal shooting during security operation
The situation later turned deadly. Security operatives deployed to disperse the crowd and restore order reportedly fired warning shots, during which one protester was allegedly killed by accidental discharge.
Efforts to independently verify the casualty and identify the specific security unit involved were ongoing as of press time.
Police confirm community engagement
The Kano State Police Command spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa, confirmed that security authorities were engaging community leaders to de-escalate the situation.
“We are engaging with the community,” Mr Kiyawa said in a phone interview on Sunday.
He did not confirm whether normalcy had been restored but said consultations with stakeholders were ongoing.
Escalation triggered by attacks in Lakwoya
Witnesses and stranded travellers said the unrest was sparked by repeated deadly raids, particularly in Lakwoya, a major border community in Gwarzo LGA.
Residents said heavily armed bandits recently invaded the area, killing three people, destroying property, extorting money, and stealing large numbers of livestock.
Frustrated victims marched from Lakwaya to the Gwarzo Local Government headquarters to demand better security.
Tensions escalated further when protesters, dissatisfied with the chairman’s response, set fire to his administrative office (the LG Secretariat).
Fears of spillover and displacement
The violence triggered panic in Gwarzo town, where businesses shut down and many residents and non-indigenes fled.
“Everyone is locking up because nobody knows what will happen next,” a stranded commuter said. “The protesters feel they have nothing left to lose, but those of us with businesses here are terrified.”
A youth leader at the protest scene explained the blockade as public reaction to prolonged attacks and government neglect.
“Yesterday alone, they came and killed three of our people,” he said. “For the past week, these criminals have been attacking us regularly in broad daylight. They ride into our neighbourhoods on motorcycles, operate with complete impunity, and steal our livestock in large numbers.”
Residents accused security agencies of responding slowly to distress calls.
“A thief will come to your doorstep at four in the afternoon to steal cattle, and when you call for help, nobody shows up until 8:00 p.m.,” one resident said. “We can no longer go to our farms or protect our schools. We are being starved in our own communities.”
Travel advisory
The Dayi-Gwarzo axis is a critical economic and transit corridor in Nigeria’s North-west. Community leaders warned that the blockade could continue until concrete security measures, including permanent military checkpoints, are provided.
Commuters travelling between Kano and Katsina, Zamfara, or Sokoto are advised to suspend journeys along this route or seek safer alternatives as tensions remain high.