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NIGER STATE, Nigeria — Youths in Niger state have called on the federal government to create more military base in the state to curb terrorism and banditry.
The call became necessary following the incessant attacks on their communities by suspected bandits and terrorists.
The youths who converged under the auspices of the Concerned Shiroro Youths of Niger State lamented that most of them have abandoned and deserted their homes over the incessant attacks.
The group particularly mentioned the recent bomb explosions in parts of the state that killed some of the innocent residents and injured others.
The youths criticised the governments at both the state and federal levels of having abandoned them to their fate.
The youths, drawn from some communities in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State said many communities in the hinterland of the local government “continue to endure unimaginable anguish due to the failure of authorities at all levels to protect them.”
The youths who listed some of the affected communities as Allawa, Bassa, Kukoki, and others said, “Their communities are at the mercy of bandits, terrorists, Fulani herdsmen militias, and kidnappers whose violent modus operandi have blurred the distinctions among these groups.”
According to them, “The terrorists have grown increasingly emboldened, going as far as planting bombs and landmines in the villages under their control. The latest incident involved the multiple bomb explosions in the Bassa community, which tragically claimed the lives of three individuals on their way to their farms.
“You don’t expect less of this incident, especially where the government of the day has deliberately refused to prioritise security (as a policy) in a war-torn region and volatile environment like ours. For emphasis, it’s on record that in less than two weeks, Bassa has experienced explosions of IEDs twice with attendant consequences. Given the quantum of neglect at hand, one is tempted to believe that insecurity-ridden areas like ours have been ceded to the warlords.”
They hinted that the evacuation of a military base in the area over the death of two soldiers compounded their woes.
“This dire situation was exacerbated when the Nigerian Army, previously deployed to combat terrorism in the Allawa axis of Shiroro, withdrew from the area after losing two officers to Improvised Explosive Devices sometime this year.
“Following the withdrawal, the region witnessed coordinated attacks that claimed 13 lives, resulted in the abduction of 26 women, and was accompanied by demands for 130 motorcycles as ransom.
“Despite the outcry from the locals, civil society organisations and concerned individuals, urging the government to restore order. These appeals have largely been ignored.
“The Defence Headquarters later cited deceitful and misleading reasons for withdrawing soldiers from these bandit-infested communities, describing it as a ‘tactical withdrawal.’ Shockingly, many months after the tragic incident, the military has yet to redeploy personnel to the affected areas.
“As a result, many communities, including Allawa, have been deserted. Those unable to abandon their ancestral homes have resigned themselves to fate, living under the oppressive control of bandits who have turned them into virtual slaves in their own lands.
“Despite the magnitude of the latest attack, no statement has been issued by the state or federal government to either condemn it or much less pay their usual lip service of taking a decisive action against the terrorists that have remained a mirage.
“The Niger State Government can do more than resort to lamentation and blame game as it’s not completely helpless as it wants people to believe. The continued inability of the state government to attract the needed federal government’s attention to our plight has defined how weak the government is and the same is a pointer to the fact that the future is bleak,” the Shiroro Youths further lamented.
Key demands of the youths
The convener of the youths, Sani Yusuf-Kokki and Secretary, Shuaib Wana signed a communique which listed seven major demands including: the “Immediate establishment of military Bases in Allawa, Bassa, Kukoki, and other affected communities to secure entry and exit points and curtail the movements of terrorists.
“Empowerment of local security volunteers with adequate logistics, resources, and training to effectively complement conventional security forces, leveraging their knowledge of the terrain for enhanced operations.
“The government must settle the medical bills of bomb blast victims and provide adequate compensation to the families of those who lost their lives.
“Security personnel should be immediately redeployed to all deserted communities to restore law and order, ensuring residents feel safe to return to their ancestral homes.
“Advanced surveillance technology and intelligence-gathering technologies should be deployed to identify and neutralise terrorist activities in Shiroro LGA and its environs.
“The government should implement a robust intervention program for displaced communities, including the restoration of infrastructure, economic empowerment initiatives, education support, and mental health services for victims of violence.
“We call on the government at all levels to act decisively and fulfil its constitutional obligation to protect lives and property. Addressing these demands with urgency and sincerity will not only restore hope and stability to the affected areas but also reaffirm the government’s commitment to justice, equity, and the preservation of our shared humanity,” the statement concluded
