The Zamfara Police Command said it had arrested 23 persons who were involved in Monday’s unrest in Tsafe town where firearms were used by the protesters.
The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara state, Mr Usman Belel, made this known to journalists in Gusau after the restoration of peace and normalcy in the affected area.
He said the command was particularly disturbed to discover that some of the protesting youths carried guns and fired shots to scare people after which they burnt several vehicles at the local government secretariat.
He said: ”Although arrests were still going on in the local government headquarters, Tsafe and its environs, those arrested would help in investigations in order to fish out the perpetrators and their sponsors.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that residents of Tsafe and environs, particularly Kucheri Village, woke up on Monday morning to face hundreds of youths who blocked the highway with bonfire and interrupted travelers from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara from passing to other parts of the country as well as those coming to the three states.
The rampaging youths were said to have taken over a planned peaceful demonstration by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camped in the area who felt they had over stayed and wanted to return to their villages.
The protesters had burned several vehicles
