A protest in the border community of Gurin, Fufore Local Government of Adamawa state on Thursday, June 6, went sour after troops reportedly opened fire on the protesters.

Premium Times reports that three of the protesters agitating against the rampant kidnapping in the area, ban of motorcycles and reported harassment of locals of the community by troops were murdered during the incident.

Witnesses who spoke on the scene said tension had been building up in the area for a while after harassment of locals of the area by security officials.

One of the locals, Musa Mallum, said: “Tension has been building in the area for a long time as we became fed up with the insecurity and uncalled harassment by security operatives.

“As I am talking to you now, there is serious demonstration going on in Gurin now due to the rampant kidnapping and excessive use of force on us by soldiers and police”.

A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state who doesn’t want to be named said the victims of the shooting were returning from their farms when the bullets hit them.

He also affirmed that four others were wounded during the shooting.

“We are preparing to take their corpses for burial rites. We want the government to intervene because security operatives have been harassing, torturing and extorting our peoples instead of protecting lives and properties.

“They (security) recently upped their harassment following the reinforcement of total ban of motorcycles in the state as a result of which tension between the people and security operatives escalated leading to the Thursday’s morning protest”.

Speaking on the incident, the spokesperson for the police in Adamawa state, Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the riot but said “normalcy has been restored.’’

Nguroje said some residents in the area staged an unauthorized protest to the house of the traditional leader and set bonfire at the palace.

“Yes, some local residents in Gurin border community were reported to have staged unauthorized protest for unknown reason to the palace of the traditional ruler though they couldn’t meet him and some set bonfires at his palace.

“They later proceeded to the soldiers check-point with their protest and we don’t know what happened there, but already the CP had directed Yola area commander and other neighboring DPOs in Fufore to proceed to Gurin in an effort to restore peace. But I am not aware of any death or injury”.