The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to liase with the military in ensuring that terrorists are flushed out of the largest military training camp in Kontagora area of the state.
The House noted with serious concern that the training camp situated at the Nagwamase military cantonment in Kontagora, headquarters of Kontagora Local Government Area (LGA) of the state has been taken over by terrorists, most refered to as bandits, in recent days.
In a motion of urgent public importance brought by the member representing Kontagora II of the state constituency, Honourable Abdullahi Isah, Tuesday, the lawmakers raised the alarm over the occupation of military training camps by bandits, explaining that the gunmen have already displaced over 23 communities spreading across two LGAs of Kontagora and Mariga.
According to him, “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 safe haven has posed a serious security challenges to communities within the camp both in Kontagora and Mariga local government areas.”
He said following the occupation of the training camp by the bandits, over 23 farming communities within the camp have relocated due to the incessant attacks by the gunmen.
“I also want this Honourable House to note that in the last one month, communities within the training camp have come under intense attacks from the bandits who operate with impunity. Unfortunately, some members of the communities have been abducted during recent invasion of these communities and are still being held by the gunmen,” he said.
He urged the House to note that, “the Nagwamase military cantonment, Kontagora hosts the largest military training camp in Nigeria where personnel of the artillery corps of the Nigerian Army undergo training. But the training camp has been taken over by bandits”.
After intensive debate on the matter, the Assembly resolved to back the state governor in providing the needed logistics support to the military to flush out the bandits, urging him to immediately liase with the military in this regard.
