By Bashir Mohammed
Kano
Youths in their thousands yesterday staged a violent demonstration in Gaya, home town of Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, leading to the vandalism of his house with the rampaging youth eventually setting it on fire.Eyewitness account had it that the rampaging youth started the demonstration at about 8.30am, barricading major strategic locations leading to the town, creating a heavy gridlock that prevented motorists and commuters from passing through the area.
Blueprint also learnt on good authority that the campaign office and poultry farm belonging to the member representing Gaya Ajingi and Garko at the House of Representatives, Alhaji Abdullahi Mahamud Gaya, were set ablaze by the irate youth.
Our correspondent also learnt that the intervention of the Police in the area temporarily doused the tension even as influential figures in the area ran for safety for fear of reprisals.
The demonstrators, Blueprint further gathered, had initially planned to stage a peaceful demonstration, but were persuaded by elders in the town to shelve the idea following, but they took the final decision to go ahead with the demonstration.
A resident told our correspondent in confidence that he was not surprised by the turn of events in the area considering the manner political office holders neglected them, adding that with the biting economic situation politicians in the corridors of power must show concern to their people.
He said: “Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya is one of the politicians we have but not living up to our expectations. For almost 10 years now, one cannot pin-point a single gigantic project he had executed in Gaya town. So, I am not surprised about what had happened.
“Another problem we are facing is the acute scarcity of drinking water. Our children had to trek to far distance of about five kilometres to fetch water. Our unemployed youths are still battling to survive. To me, the violent demonstration was not surprising.”
When contacted, the Kano state Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Magaji Musa Majiya, told reporters that police in the area were making efforts to bring the restive situation under control and promised to keep the press posted on any further development.
