Why Military Personnel Withdrew from Niger, DHQ Explains
The Defence Headquarters explained, on Tuesday, that soldiers were withdrawn from bandits-troubled communities in Niger State for tactical reasons.
The spokesman for the DHQ, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, confirmed in an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday that military authorities withdrew troops from the Niger communities in April following deadly ambushes by bandits.
He noted how the mlitary suffered human and equipment casualties after running into explosive device planted by the bandits.
While describing the withdrawal as temporary, he, however, gave assurance that soldiers would soon return to the communities after the ongoing review of tactical strategies.
His explanation followed the call by the Niger State acting governor, Yakubu Garba, for the military to return to the troubled parts of the state to save the residents.
Garba made the call on Saturday at the Government House in Minna after a three-day Fidda’u prayer for 13 farmers killed by bandits in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.
“I want to appeal to our military to see reasons to go back to Allawa and other bandit-prone areas to give full security cover to our people, who are predominantly farmers.
“The withdrawal of troops from Allawa and other communities has weakened the government’s efforts to eradicate insecurity in the state,” the acting governor said.
Speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, the DHQ spokesman gave the assurance that the military would return with a better strategy to confront the bandits, who had dealt fatal blows on the troops in the past by planting Improvised Explosive Devices on their paths.
According to Buba, the bandits exploited the poor road situation in the areas to attack soldiers.
He said, “Sometime in April 2024, troops of FOB Alawa in Niger State were temporarily withdrawn for tactical reasons to a nearby FOB. The troops would be reinserted after some adjustments that would give the troops a tactical advantage to dominate and properly secure the area.
“The decision to temporarily withdraw the troops was not unconnected with casualties incurred from IEDs in several instances by troops. The IED incidents resulted in both equipment and personnel casualties. The road to FOB Alawa was made worse due to the rainy season.
Consequently, the adversary has found it easier to plant IEDs along the route. More details to follow later as operational adjustments are still ongoing.”
Reports that the Shiroro LGA, where 13 farmers were killed in the latest attack, is notorious for the presence of bloodthirsty bandits who have not spared security operatives in their violent attacks.
Read Also:
FG spent N63.6bn on military equipment in seven months – Report
One of the many attacks on security agencies included the killing of six soldiers and one hunter by bandits in the Karaga and Rumace communities in the Bassa ward of the Shiroro LG on April 20, 2024.
The absence of troops in the community has led to a rise in attacks by bandits, resulting in deaths, abductions, and the displacement of hundreds of residents.
On August 22, bandits killed 13 farmers on their farms on the Ijuwa fringes of the Alawa community of the Shiroro LGA.
Another attack by bandits between August 20 and 21 led to the death of many residents in Anguwan Magiro, Bassa communities in the Shiroro LGA.
Also, in August, 12 miners were killed by bandits in the Ungwan-Magro community of Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command announced, on Tuesday, it uncovered a large cache of explosive devices, including bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices, buried in multiple locations in the state.
The police said although an investigation was ongoing to unravel the sources of the explosive devices, they were suspected to have been concealed by terrorists and bandits who had been wreaking havoc on several local governments in the state.
Some of the local governments where these devices were uncovered were Galadima-Kogo in the Shiroro LGA, Mutun-Daya in the Munya LGA, and the Gbeganu Area of Minna.
The command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, who released a statement on the development on Tuesday, said the explosives were neutralised on August 22, 2024, at a site behind Zuma Rock in Suleja, under the supervision of SP Mohammed Mamun, the Officer in Charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unit of the command.
“In furtherance to the efforts of the Niger State Police Command to ensure a safer and more secure environment in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, directed the destruction of the improvised explosive device/bombs recovered from different locations during multiple counter-insurgency operations with other security agencies in the state between the period of the year 2021 to 2023.
“The items include four pipe-borne IEDs buried in the ground recovered at Galadima-Kogo, Shiroro LGA on 27th September 2021; explosives concealed in empty shells of suspected military missiles and 5kg cooking gas cylinder recovered at Mutun-Daya, Shiroro LGA on February 11, 2022; explosives concealed in a 10-litre jerrican, three pieces of suspected military hand grenades and a bow-shaped improvised material recovered in the Gbeganu area of Minna on 24th October 2023.
“The successful destruction took place on 22nd August 2024 at a location behind Zuma Rock, Suleja led by the Officer in Charge of the EOD-CBRN Unit of the Command, SP Mohammed Mamun,” Abiodun stated.
