50 out of 56 schools in Zakka District in bandits’ hand, Forum tells Gov. Radda
Zakka Transformation Forum in Katsina State has expressed concern over the incessant insecurity in the district, saying more than 250 people have been killed and over 600 abducted in 15 months.
Forum while reacting to the killing of six family members by a Nigerian Air Force jet, said that the area has been neglected by government and its agents.
“It’s exactly a year and three months now we have been asking Katsina State Governor to come to our aid but nothing has changed.
“From November 13, 2023 to February 17, 2025, we have lost not less than 250 people while bandits have abducted more than 600 residents in Zakka District.”
The Forum noted that due to government neglect, the new generation of children born in the district are growing up as illiterates because they had no access to schools.
“The district has been left to contend with so many challenges in various areas including trade and commerce, agriculture, health care, animal husbandry and education.
“Our new generation of young people are growing up as illiterates because out of the 56 public primary schools in the district, only six are functioning while the remaining 50 have been turned into camps by bandits.”
The forum expressed sadness that both the state government and the Senator representing the area, Sen, Abdulaziz Yar’adua, have not fulfilled the pledges they made earlier to deploy more security personnel and working tools, including an Air Personnel Carrier to aid security in the area.
“In Zakka, because of the frequency of attacks, a child of 5 years can distinguish the sound of guns belonging to terrorists and government security forces.
“It is horrific and condemnable that an air force jet will choose to bomb a family of six instead of going after bandits who have just killed two mobile policemen and a member of the community watch, and took away their weapons.
“Instead of targeting where the bandits were, the air force jet dropped its bomb on civilians and went back to base. We’ll not forgive this deliberate act of irresponsibility.
“We are appealing to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to take urgent action on the security and socio-economic situation in Zakka District,” the Forum added.
