Jangebe: Matawalle imposes curfew following unrest of schoolgirls

The Zamfara State Government led by Governor Bello Matawalle has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Jangebe, a week after 279 schoolgirls were abducted from the community.

Gunmen took the students of Government Girls Secondary School on Friday, February 26, 2021, and did not release them until Tuesday, March 2 after negotiations with the government.

When the girls were eventually returned to the community by military troops and government officials on Wednesday, March 3, residents were reported to have engaged in 'civil disobedience'.

Residents reportedly threw stones at the convoy of government officials, and also attacked outsiders including journalists.

Soldiers were also reported to have fired shots at the villagers, allegedly killing one and injuring a few others, including a young boy whose sister was one of the abducted girls.

Zamfara's Commissioner for Information, Sulaiman Tunau Anka, said in a statement hours later that the curfew imposed on the town was effective from Wednesday.

"This is to prevent any further breach of peace," he said.

The commissioner also announced the suspension of all market activities in Jangebe, citing unclear evidence that they were aiding the activities of bandits in the town and neighboring communities.

He said government is focused on the safety of lives and property, and called on the Zamfara State Police Command to ensure total enforcement of the directives.

Last week's abduction highlighted the scale of insecurity that has been ravaging many communities in Zamfara for years.

Shortly after the release of the girls on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the state a no-fly-zone, and also banned mining activities, long regarded as a major source of conflict.

The president charged security agencies to reclaim all areas under the control of those involved in criminal activities across the country.