Residents from security-affected communities in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State have reported that terrorists and bandits are enslaving locals to work on their farms. According to reports, a leader of a terrorist group collected over 20 bags of soybeans from farms in Allawa and neighbouring communities this year.

At an emergency media conference in Minna, the Niger State capital, Saidu Salihu, Secretary of the Coalition of Shiroro Associations, a coalition of youth organisations in Shiroro LGA, called for the return of military forces to Allawa and surrounding areas to allow displaced residents to return to farming.

Salihu highlighted that various groups of terrorists and bandits have taken over the communities since the withdrawal of soldiers from Allawa three months ago. He urged the Niger State government to strengthen its collaboration with security agencies and to equip local vigilantes to protect the affected communities.

He also requested that both federal and state governments provide compensation to displaced persons who have lost homes, properties, and livelihoods due to the attacks following the military withdrawal.

Salihu mentioned that bandits have invited the affected communities for dialogue and negotiations to facilitate their return.

However, he claimed that both state and federal governments have been unresponsive to these reports.

Abdullah Suleiman Erena added that insecurity in the eight political wards of the Lakpma axis is not limited to banditry but includes other terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Ansaru. He warned that these groups are creating a terrorist stronghold in the Lakpma axis, which could become increasingly difficult to contain if not addressed urgently.

Erena described the situation as a developing terrorist ecosystem rather than mere criminal activity, criticising both the press and government for underestimating the severity of the issue. He detailed how various terrorist groups operate in the area, includeing cattle rustling and forcing locals to farm and sell produce on their behalf.

He also noted that the Federal Capital Territory is at risk due to its proximity to Shiroro LGA, calling for immediate action to dislodge the terrorists and bandits from the region.

Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki lamented that the state government has not done enough to pressure the federal government regarding the alarming security situation, particularly in Shiroro LGA, where many farmers have been displaced.

“The state government needs to do more than just lament and apportion blame,” Yusuf Kokki said. “While we acknowledge that informants may be collaborating with terrorists and bandits, this should not justify abandoning the larger population to their fate.”

Babangida Kudodo, President of the Lakpma Youth Forum, reported that despite several reports to stakeholders and the state government about the terrorist and bandit activities, there have been no positive steps to address the issue. He alleged that some informants were arrested and later released, becoming threats to the communities that reported them. This has reportedly forced many residents to collaborate with the terrorists and bandits to secure their livelihoods. (Daily Trust)

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