Bandits takeover, establish 8 camps in Niger military training depot

Bandits takeover, establish 8 camps in Niger military training depot
By Aideloje Ojo, Minna
Bandits have taken over the military training camp located in Kontagora, headquarters of Kontagora local government area of Niger state.
The camp which is situated at the Nagwamase military cantonment, served as training site for members of the country’s armed forces over some decades.
However, the member representing Kontagora II constituency, Abdullahi Isah told his colleagues during the plenary at the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, that the camp now served as operational base for the bandits.
He said the bandits sacked 23 communities inhabiting the large expanse of land stretching across two local government areas of Kontagora and Mariga in their takeover bid.
He said the communities have come under constant attacks with many members abducted by the assailants, forcing others to relocate and abandon their ancestral homes.
According to the member, the bandits established eight different camps where they operated with impunity.
“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.
“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”.
“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,” he explained.
He urged the assembly to urgently intervene by mandating Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to take action on the development.
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.