A member of the House of Representatives, on Tuesday, December 16, was physically assaulted by members of his constituency in Dansadau, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The lawmaker representing Maru/Bungudu Federal Constituency, was reportedly slapped, dragged, and mocked by a mob due to frustrations over his abandonment of the community.
Dansadau, for a long time has been one of the most volatile areas in the North-West, frequently targeted by bandits operating from the forests. The residents took the law into their hands, due to the sense of betrayal and vulnerability.
Dawn Herald gathered reports from community members, who allege that since winning his seat in 2023, the lawmaker has failed to visit the area to address the worsening insecurity and has failed woefully in his campaign promises.
The incident was captured in a viral video where the crowd who took the law into their hands, can be heard shouting in Hausa language “We don’t want you”.
The mob claimed that repeated attempts to reach the representative regarding empowerment programs and the rising death toll from bandit attacks in Dansadau were ignored, leading to the boiling point witnessed on Tuesday.
If a lawmaker cannot visit his people in their time of need, he has no right to hold the mandate. We only see them during elections. He has lived in Abuja for two years while we are being killed by bandits every day. This was a message that the era of silent representation is over – A resident
Despite the presence of security operatives, the mob successfully breached the lawmaker’s protective circle, pulling him to the ground and manhandling him before he was eventually shielded and forced into a getaway vehicle.
The attack occurred just days after president Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police escorts from public officials. Lawmakers have recently argued that this policy leaves them dangerously exposed to such mob actions in volatile regions.
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