Why troops withdrew from Niger communities under bandits’ siege – Nigerian military

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has explained why soldiers were withdrawn from some bandits-troubled communities in Niger State.

Military authorities withdrew troops from the communities in April following a deadly ambush of the soldiers by bandits.

The authorities said the controversial withdrawal was for tactical reasons.

The spokesperson for the DHQ, Edward Buba, explained the situation in an interview with the PREMIUM TIMES correspondent on Tuesday.

Mr Buba, an army major general, noted how the military suffered human and equipment casualties after soldiers ran into explosive devices planted by the bandits.

However, he said the withdrawal is temporary, saying soldiers will return to the communities after an ongoing review of tactical strategies.

His explanation followed a call by the Niger State acting governor, Yakubu Garba, for the military to return to the troubled parts of the state to protect residents.

Mr 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 PREMIUM TIMES correspondent on Tuesday, the DHQ spokesperson said the military would return with a better strategy to confront the bandits, who he said had dealt fatal blows on troops in the past by planting Improvised Explosive Devices on their paths.

According to Mr Buba, the bandits exploited the poor road situation to attack soldiers.

He said, “Sometime in April 2024, troops of FOB Allawa in Niger State were temporarily withdrawn for tactical reasons to a nearby FOB. The troops would be reinserted after adjustments that would give the troops a tactical advantage to dominate and adequately 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 Allawa was made worse due to the rainy season. Consequently, the adversary has found it easier to plant IEDs along the route. More details will follow later as operational adjustments are still ongoing,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Shiroro LGA, where 13 farmers were killed in the latest attack, is infested with bloodthirsty bandits who have not spared security operatives in their violent attacks.

In one of the many attacks on security agents, six soldiers and one hunter were killed in Karaga and Rumace in the Bassa ward of the Shiroro LGA on 20 April.

The absence of troops in the community has predictably led to a rise in attacks by bandits, resulting in deaths, abductions and the displacement of hundreds of residents.

On 22 August, bandits killed 13 farmers on their farms on the Ijuwa fringes of Allawa.

In another attack between 20 and 21 August, the bandits killed many residents in Anguwan Magiro and Bassa in the same Shiroro LGA.

Also, in August, they killed 12 miners in Ungwan-Magro, also in Shiroro.

Meanwhile, the police in Niger announced, on Tuesday, that 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 on the discoveries, the explosive devices were suspected to have been concealed by terrorists and bandits.

Some local government areas 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 police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement on the development on Tuesday, said the explosives were neutralised on 22 August at a site behind Zuma Rock in Suleja, under the supervision of Mohammed Mamun, the Officer in Charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unit of the state police 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 hidden 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,” Mr Abiodun stated.