The Niger State Government has asked the Nigerian Army to deploy troops to areas in the state that are currently under siege by bandits.
The request came after a series of attacks on local administrations in the state, in which residents were slain or kidnapped.
In other situations, shops were destroyed as a result of looting. Yakubu Garba, the state’s acting governor, made the call during a conversation with reporters on Saturday during the Fida’u prayer for 13 farmers killed by bandits in Shiroro LG.
When the bandits assaulted the farmers in Anguwan village, they shot nine of them there and dragged the other four to another place where they were killed.
In his speech, Garba said that the government’s attempts to put an end to the state’s instability had been undermined by the troops’ withdrawal from Allawa and other towns.
What they’re saying
“I would like to urge our soldiers to see reasons to return to Allawa and other bandit-prone areas in order to provide full security cover to our people, who are primarily farmers.
“The removal of troops from Allawa and other areas has undermined the government’s efforts to eliminate instability in the state.
“The Bago-led administration implemented efforts to end insecurity, providing safety to travellers on the Kuta, Gwada, Zumba, and Erena roads in Shiroro council. The farmers killed in the attack were displaced farmers who had left the Internally Displaced Persons (camp),” Garba explained.
Isah Allawa, the father of one of the victims, told reporters, “My son Mubarak Isah is among the persons killed; the bandits took them unaware.They separated people from Allawa and Kagara in Rafi Local Government.
“The bandits tied the hands of the Allawa people to their backs before they killed them, and they asked the Kagara people to leave.
“In addition, the deceased was married prior to his death, according to widow Murjanatu Musa, who lament the loss of her son in the assault. She claimed that a bandit raid in 2023 claimed her husband.
In Essence
The situation in Niger State is part of a broader pattern of insecurity in northern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnapping, and violent attacks on communities have become distressingly common. The killing of 13 farmers in Shiroro Local Government Area is a tragic reminder of the human toll of this crisis.
The fact that some of the victims were displaced persons returning to their farms illustrates the cyclical nature of violence in the region, where displacement and return are fraught with danger.
Acting Governor Yakubu Garba’s comments emphasize the need for a sustained military presence to provide security and enable the government to implement its strategies for stabilizing the region.
The withdrawal of troops has clearly had a detrimental impact on these efforts, leading to renewed violence and insecurity. This situation highlights the critical importance of maintaining a consistent and effective security presence in areas vulnerable to bandit attacks.
