From John Adams, Minna
It was a wild jubilation in Allawa and Bassa Communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger state as Soldiers on Saturday returned back to their camps barley one month after armed bandits attacks their base, killing five soldiers a Mobile Policeman.
A Military convoy comprising ten Hilux Vans and about 100 motorcycles arrived Allawa and Bassa communities to a worm reception by a crowd of people who came out of their houses to receive them.
The return of the Military follows series of meeting between the Military led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Major-General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi, the state government and other stakeholders in the state.
It could be recalled that Military camps in Allawa and Bassa in Shiroro local government of the state were shut down last month after armed bandits numbering about 100 invaded a Security Joint TaskForce camp, killing five soldiers and a Mobile Policeman.
The bandits also reportedly set the military base in Allawa town on fire and burnt down their operational vehicles.
A succesful businessman in Bassa village in the area Alhaji Sule was also killed on his farm by the invaders who also stole several Motorcycles belonging to the villagers.
A succesful businessman in Bassa village in the area Alhaji Sule was also killed on his farm by the invaders who also stole several Motorcycles belonging to the villagers.
However two weeks after the incident, the bandits in their large number attacked Allawa town and sacked the people leaving it like a ghost town and the people have refused to go back to their homes since after the attack.
Also three after, another military base in Zagzaga community in Munya local government area was also attacked, leaving one soldier killed and a number of the bandits were also killed.
The attack equally led to the shutting down of the camp in Zagzaga, and the soldiers are yet to return back to the community.
The return of the Soldiers has come a great relief to the people who are predominantly farms as the soldiers have asked them return back to their homes, assuring them of adequate security.
Reacting to this development, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Sani Musa described the return of the soldiers to Allawa and Bassa as a “welcome development and great relief to the people who can now go back to their homes and prepare for the farming season”.
The Senator commended the Military for their efforts in ensuring that peace return to the troubled communities in his constituency which has been under siege from bandits.
“The return of Soldiers is great relief for my people, and I want to thank and commend President Muhammadu Buhari and the Military for the return of the soldiers.
“I will equally want to appeal to them to hasting the return of soldiers to other communities to enable the people go back to their homes to continue their farming business”.
Sani Musa pointed out that food security is already under threat following the activities of the armed bandits in the country, warning that “there is the urgent need to tackle the Insecurity in the country with all seriousness it deserve”.