Residents of communities affected by banditry and insurgency in Niger State have described President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive for military operations in the state as long overdue.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had in a statement issued Sunday, said the president gave the directive to the Defence Headquarters.
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The local government areas include Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, Mashegu, Kontagora, Mariga and Wushishi.
Jibrin Abdullahi Allawa, President of Lakpma Youth Assembly, one of the affected communities in Shiroro Local Government, said several villagers in internally displaced persons’ camps in Gwada and Kuta wanted to return to their homes.
The president, The Blue Resolution Initiative, a Minna-based civil society organisation, Mohammed Danjuma Abubakar, stressed the need for authorities to also deal with the issue of light and small arms proliferation in the communities.
Abubakar Agaji, a resident of Kampanin Bobi, described it as “a wise decision.”
He said, “I recall when the state government stationed the vigilantes in our area, the attacks were brought to the barest minimum.
“But since the vigilante groups left our communities, there have been renewed attacks. This shows you the importance of security presence.
“So, this operation is necessary because even those who have left their homes will start returning if the situation calms down.”
Fatima Ibrahim from Bakin-Gulbi-Dan-Galadima community, who said her husband was among those kidnapped on Friday, said they had waited for long for government’s intervention.
She said, “Right now we are in Kampanin-Bobi town as IDPs. We fled our homes last Friday when bandits attack our community.
“My husband was kidnapped and is still in captivity. Millions of naira has been paid as ransom to bandits. Now even what to eat is a problem.
“So, we are happy that the military are coming to help us. We are not happy living as IDPs.”
Dozens of people from communities especially those in Shiroro, Munya, Mashegu, Rafi local government areas among others have been killed by bandits and insurgents in the last two years.
The villagers said they expected the military operations as directed by the president to yield the desired results by putting an end to the attacks.
On Wednesday, the Niger State Police Commissioner, Monday Bala Kuryas was in Kontagora to receive the remains of three officers of the command who lost their lives on Monday in a gun duel with bandits in Mariga Local Government.
Two of the vigilantes who were also killed alongside the three police officers were buried in Kontagora on Wednesday.
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