According to reports, heavily armed bandits have taken control of the training grounds, which span a large area from Kontagora into portions of Mariga Local Government.
23 Farming Communities In Niger Run Away As Bandits Take Over a Military Training Camp
About 23 farming communities have fled their homes after armed bandits occupied a significant military training camp in Niger State’s Kontagora Local Government Area, raising the possibility that Nigeria will soon face a more severe food crisis.
During a plenary session on Tuesday, the Niger State House of Assembly disclosed the tragic development while discussing the situation at Nagwamase Military Cantonment, a well-known military training facility in Kontagora that is regarded as one of Nigeria’s biggest military training camps.According to reports, heavily armed bandits have taken control of the training grounds, which span a large area from Kontagora into portions of Mariga Local Government.
They claim that this takeover has created serious security risks for the local communities that depend on the stability of the cantonment for their personal safety as well as for the military personnel stationed there.
Representing the Kontagora II constituency, Abdullahi Isah addressed the Assembly with specifics of the situation and introduced a motion of urgent public importance.According to him, families in more than 23 farming communities near the military camp have been forced to flee their homes and relocate to safer areas as a result of the frequent and violent attacks brought on by the armed bandits’ occupation of the camp.
As a crucial training ground for the Nigerian Army’s artillery corps, the Nagwamase cantonment is strategically significant, and the Assembly members expressed profound concern over the current state of affairs. The training facility, which is essential to the nation’s defence infrastructure, is where artillery personnel are prepared for nationwide military assignments.
In order to resolve the security issue and coordinate efforts to retake the training camp, the House of Assembly urged the Niger State government to speak with military authorities directly.Lawmakers emphasised the importance of re-establishing order in the Nagwamase cantonment for the safety and livelihood of the 23 impacted communities in Kontagora and Mariga, as well as for the defence establishment.
The Assembly’s request, which calls for prompt action to stop additional civilian displacement and to fully operationalise the vital military training facility, reflects the seriousness of the security situation in Niger State.
