Tension gripped Katsina State on Tuesday as angry youths and residents of Unguwa Muntau, a community situated between Malumfashi and Bakori, took to the streets in protest following the killing of 13 worshippers by suspected armed bandits.

The protesters, in their hundreds, blocked the busy Malumfashi?Funtua highway, a major route linking Kano to Funtua, Gusau, and Sokoto, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours. The demonstration later spread into Malumfashi town, causing a total gridlock and forcing many travellers to abandon their journeys.

Eyewitnesses said the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when bandits stormed Unguwa Muntau during the dawn prayers. According to a resident, Abubakar, who narrowly escaped, the attackers opened fire on worshippers inside the mosque without provocation.

?They just entered and started shooting at people who were praying. Thirteen people died instantly. It was something we had never seen before,? he told our correspondent.

The killings sparked outrage among residents, who barricaded the highway with stones, logs, and burning tyres, demanding urgent government action to secure their communities. The blockade created a long stretch of traffic tht lasted several hours.

Our correspondent, who was trapped in the gridlock, reported that many travellers were forced to take long detours through villages in order to continue their journey. Some spent over 20 hours on the road due to the disruptions.

One stranded motorist recounted the harrowing experience, ?We spent more than three hours stuck, waiting for security agents to intervene, but no one came. At one point, a young man among the protesters threatened to set our vehicle on fire if we tried to move.

?Eventually, one driver volunteered to lead us through rough village paths before we got out. What should have been a seven-hour journey from Kano to Sokoto took nearly 24 hours.?

He added that the situation worsened when travellers reached Miyanchi, about 30 kilometres from Zamfara State, only to discover that the road had already been closed for the night ? a security measure usually enforced from 6:30 p.m. until dawn.

At the time of filing this report, security operatives had yet to issue a statement on the killings or the protest, while the atmosphere in the affected communities remained tense.

Residents are calling on both state and federal authorities to take urgent steps to strengthen security across Katsina and other frontline states, where armed banditry continues to claim innocent lives. (The PUNCH)

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