Niger: School razed by bandits reconstructed by House Speaker

• Calls for prayers over incessant attacks

From John Adams, Minna

The Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has urged the people of his Mariga Constituency to pray for God’s intervention over the incessant attacks by bandits in the last few months, where scores of villagers were killed, including security agents.

An unspecified number of people were abducted in the recent escalation of bandits’ attacks in the area.

This is even as the Speaker began the renovation of all the classrooms in Kakihum Secondary School in the Kakihum community in the Mariga Local Government Area of the state that were burnt down by bandits.

One such deadly attack on communities in the area led to the killing of about 20 soldiers in Gulbin Boka and Kwanan Duse, all in Mariga Local Government Area.

The entire secondary school hosting the soldiers’ camp was razed down by the bandits who invaded the area in their hundreds.

The Speaker had, during his sympathy visit to the affected communities, which include Kakihum, Kumbashi and Mabruya, after the deadly attacks, promised to renovate the school to allow normal academic activities to resume.

The Speaker, who was in the area to inspect the renovation works of the classrooms, assured the people that he will not abandon them in their time of distress.

Sarkindaji described the sustained onslaught on his constituency by bandits and other insurgents as wicked and heartless and said, “With prayers, Allah will subdue those who perpetrate evil on the innocent citizens of this country.”

“The destruction of government infrastructure like the school is the most wicked act of these enemies of the people,” adding that education is the gateway to development of any society.

He pointed out that no amount of attacks on school infrastructure will deter the people of his constituency from accessing quality education, stressing that “if the schools are destroyed 100 times, we will renovate them 100 times.” We will even build new ones; the people must have access to quality education,” he added.

He maintained that the ongoing renovation of the burnt secondary school is not only about rebuilding classrooms but also about restoring hope, dignity, and the future of the children of the affected communities.

This ongoing project stands as a testament to the Speaker’s determination to ensure that no community under his watch is left behind in the collective march towards peace, security, and development of his constituency.

He commended the state governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, for steps taken so far to restore peace to the troubled communities, describing his intervention as a great relief to the people.