Bandits seized military camp, sacked 23 communities – Niger Assembly

The Niger State House of Assembly has raised the alarm over the takeover of a military training camp in the state.

The camp, located at the Nagwamase military cantonment in Kontagora, the headquarters of the Kontagora Local Government area of the state, is reportedly one of the biggest military training camps in the country.

In a motion of urgent public importance brought during plenary on Tuesday, the member representing Kontagora 11 State Constituency, Abdullahi Isah, said the military camp, which occupies a large expanse of land extending from Kontagora Local Government to parts of Mariga Local Government was now being occupied by the bandits.

He said the training camp of the bandits was where personnel of the artillery corps of the Nigerian Army underwent training.

Also, the lawmakers said the bandits had chased out residents of no fewer than 23 communities around the military camp.

The legislators called on the state government to liaise with the military authority to flush out the bandits from the training camp.

Isah told the assembly that following the occupation of the military training camp by the bandits, over 23 farming communities within the camp had relocated due to incessant attacks.

“This military camp is now known to have been taken over by bandits who are said to have established at least eight different camps in the area.

“The presence of the bandits on this training camp which now serves as their haven has posed a serious security challenge to communities within the camp, both in Kontagora and Mariga local government areas,” he said.

The lawmaker pointed out that in the last month, communities within the training camp had come under intense attacks from the bandits who, he said, operated with impunity.

He noted that some members of the communities who were abducted during a recent operation were still being held by the gunmen.

The assembly urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, liaise with the military authorities to intensify efforts to flush out the bandits from the training camp.

It said this would enable the host communities to return to their homes.

It also urged the government to give the military the necessary support towards securing the training camp and restoring peace to the area.