Lawmaker Confirms Boko Haram Flags Mounted In Niger Villages, As Senate Debates Insecurity!
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (representing Niger East) has confirmed that the Boko Haram sect has hoisted its flag in some villages in his home state.
He made the revelation on Tuesday at plenary as the Senate debates the spate of insecurity in many parts of the country in the last few weeks.
Senator Musa spoke while he moved a motion on a matter of urgent national importance titled: “The activities of bandits and Boko Haram terrorist in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi Local Government Areas of Niger State has taken a dangerous dimension: Urgent need for Federal Government to deploy troops and other security apparatus to immediately bring an end to the menace of insurgency and terrorism in Niger State and other parts of Nigeria.”
Sen Mudashiru said: “I can authoritatively confirm that the Boko Haram terrorists have mounted their flags in many of the villages they have captured such as Kaure, Alawa, and Magami.
“Inhabitants of these war-torn parts of the State have been abandoned and left to their fate thereby compelling them to wallow in perpetual agony and abject misery.
“Furthermore at the moment, primary schools in Gwada, Kuta, Pandogari and Minna have hurriedly been turned to IDP camps following the sacking of nearly 5600 villagers from their ancestral homes in Shiroro, Rafi and Munya local government areas in the last few weeks by bandits who raided the towns and villages.
“And what this means is that if they can launch attacks without hindrance in Niger East Senatorial District then I don’t see how we can be safe in Abuja anymore.”
Meanwhile, he said before the recent attacks, the bandits had attacked Kagara headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area, Madaka-Gari, Maikujeri, Magami, Zangouru, Bassa, Gusoro, Galadiman Kogo, and Kokki villages, where they attacked and killed about 46 people.
He maintained that between March 2021 to date, the terrorist had launched serial attacks daily to adjoining villages of Alawa, Shakodna, Chiri, Kwaki, Ajatayi, Gwassa, Barden Dawaki, and Gyammamiya communities in Munya and Shiroro Local Government Areas of the state, killing many innocent people, including over 25 gallant soldiers, mobile policemen, and other security personnel.
“While more than 16 civilians were killed, many others unaccounted and leaving over 2300 displaced, while over 1500 are now sheltered at Primary Schools turned temporary camps at Erena, Galadima-Kogo and Zumba.
“The number of persons said to have been killed by bandits in Niger East are over 475 between January 2020 to date.
“Further, we are also aware that confirmed reports emanating from those affected areas of Allawa and Bassa towns in Shiroro local government, Niger State indicated that the Joint Security Task Force stationed there has been withdrawn.
“However, no reason has been advanced for the withdrawal but observers believe it will not be unconnected with the casualties suffered by the JSTF during the last unfortunate invasion and ambushing of the troops stationed at Alawa by the heartless, venomous, and hydra-headed terrorists.
“If this menace is not drastically addressed, the attacks will continue and the danger is that it may escalate further to other communities, which are mostly farming communities, may desert their farms this season and this will negatively affect the food sufficiency and economic diversification policy of the Federal Government,” he added.
