Bandits take over military training camp in Niger

Bandits have reportedly taken over a military training camp at Nagwamase Military Cantonment in Kontagora, headquarters of Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State.

A motion of urgent public importance brought by the member representing Kontagora in the State House of Assembly, Abdullah Isah, during plenary, yesterday, revealed that the military camp occupies a vast land which extends to part of Mariga Local Government Area of the state, which he said has been taken over by the bandits.

The incident has led to the sack of no fewer than 23 communities within the vicinity of the training camp which is one of the biggest military training ground in the country.

The Assembly, therefore, encouraged the state government to liaise with the military authority with a view to flush out the bandits from the training camp which also plays host to about 23 communities in the area.

Isah, in his motion, said: “This military camp has now been taken over by bandits, who have established at least eight different camps in the area.

“The training camp has posed a serious security challenge to communities within the camp both in Kontagora and Mariga LGAs.”

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He noted that communities within the training camp have come under intense attacks in the past month from the bandits who he said operate with impunity.

He said some members of the communities who were abducted during the recent were still in the den of the bandits.

The member cried out to the government to take decisive decisions towards flushing out the terrorists from the camp.

The members also called on the government to further assist the military with modern equipment and logistics towards flushing out the armed men from the the training camp and restore peace to the area.

Residents from the 23 sacked communities are predominantly farmers. They have reportedly fled their ancestral homes and farms.

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