Niger state pleads with military to return to bandit-prone communities

The Niger state government has appealed to the Nigeria army to redeploy its troops to communities prone to bandit attacks.

Yakubu Garba, acting governor of the state, made the call on Saturday after the three-day prayer observed for 13 residents killed by bandits in Alawa axis of Shiroro LGA.

The victims, said to be displaced farmers, were attacked on Wednesday while on the way to their farms in Anguwan village.

The army had withdrawn its troops from some communities in Shiroro after six personnel were ambushed and killed in April.

Garba said the withdrawal of troops from Alawa and other communities had weakened government’s efforts to end insecurity in the state.

“I want to appeal to our military to see reasons to go back to Alawa and other prone areas to give full security cover to our people who are predominantly farmers,” Garba said.

“The withdrawal of military personnel has left our communities defenceless. The people of Alawa are predominantly farmers, and they are now unable to tend to their fields without fear of being attacked. We need the federal government to act swiftly and redeploy the army to protect our people.”

Isah Allawa, father of one of the victims, said the bandits shot eight people while five others drowned in a river while fleeing the scene of the attack.

“My son Mubarak Isah is among the people killed, the bandits caught them unaware, they separated people from Alawa and those from Kagara in Rafi Local Government,” Alawa said, according to NAN.

“The bandits asked people from Kagara to go while those from Allawa had their hands tied to their back before they started killing them.”

Also, Murjanatu Musa, who lost her son duing the attack, said the deceased was married with a daughter.

Musa said his father was also killed by bandits during an attack on the state in 2023.