Dozens of angry youths in Zaranda town, Toro Local Government of Bauchi State on Tuesday made bonfires and blocked the busy Bauchi-Jos highway to protest the alleged killing of two residents of the town by a joint security team patrolling against charcoal production in the state.
The angry youths also demanded the immediate release of a one Jamilu who was arrested by the security team.
Our correspondent, who visited the area, observed that hundreds of motorists and other travellers were stranded until Jamilu was released around 2:30 pm.
A resident of Zaranda simply identified as Abdulwahab said that a joint security team comprising the police, civil defence and hunters in their patrol vehicle arrested two people and seized a vehicle loaded with charcoal on their way to Bauchi.
He said, “When we got the information, we assembled on the road to plead for their release and on reaching Zaranda, the security team opened fire on the youth. Three people were shot during the altercation and two died on the spot while one person sustained gunshot injuries.”
Another resident of Zaranda town, Mohammed Lamin, said, “We blocked the highway to protest the killing of two people by the security agents. Even if the residents engaging in charcoal production are guilty, the extra-judicial killing by security agents is unacceptable and should not be condoned. We want the appropriate authorities to know what happened.”
The Bauchi State Poliice Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, had not responded to our correspondent’s inquiry on the incident at the time of filing this report.