The Civil Society Groups under the aegis of the Coalition of Democratic Watchdogs of Nigeria has urged President Muhammad Buhari and the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, to explain why the killings have continued unabated for a long period.

The group is equally demanding explanation from the Minister of Interior, Rtd Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, for the loss of several innocent lives as a result of skirmishes.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on behalf of the group, Comrade Yunusa Idris maintained that the primary responsibility of government was to protect lives and property and urged Buhari to live up to the occasion of security for which he was primarily voted for.

He said: “On Wednesday 26th December, 2018, suspected bandits struck yet again in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing scores of Nigerians who were murdered in cold blood in their farms while harvesting sweet potatoes. This murder is one too many of such series of murder in Zamfara State especially when the government is encouraging Nigerians to invest in Agriculture. Now, the farms are far from being safe.

“The bandits made a return in the evening of Wednesday and ransacked some villages around, unmolested and unperturbed. Most of the villages surrounding Birnin Magaji Local Government Area such as Ballaka, Tsalle, Gidan Kare, Katsinawa, Garin Boka and Garin Kaka are deserted due to repeated attacks by the bandits. Persons residing in such villages are now seeking refuge at the council headquarters and some other places.

“Some of the LGAs mostly affected by armed bandits and cattle rustlers in Zamfara state includes; Tsafe, Zurmi, Shankafi, Maradun, Maru and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas.”

Comrade Idris expressed regret that the Minister of Defence is from Birnin Magaji, one of the areas most ravaged communities.

“Now,” he said, “the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unambiguous and clear that the primary responsibility of Government is to protect lives and property of her citizens.

“We may wish to ask what could be happening in the case of Nigerian citizens resident in Zamfara State?

“For how long would this level of unprecedented carnage continue unabated?”

He tasked the Defence Minister to provide answers to these unending killings in Zamfara State.

He equally called on the Presidency to tell Nigerians why these mindless killings cannot be stopped and perpetrators made to face the full wrath of the law.