The Niger State Government has confirmed the commencement of air raids on bandits ravaged communities in eight local government areas of the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, Mrs. Mary Noel Berje, who made this known while addressing journalists at the Government House Press Gallery, assured everyone that very soon respite would come the way of the troubled communities and the villagers would return to their ancestral homes.
Berje disclosed that the local government areas badly hit by insurgency are Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, Paikoro, Mashegu, Kontagora, Mariga and Magama, saying the situation in the communities in the LGAs “has indeed remained a nightmare for the state government which has done and is still doing a lot in close collaboration with the military and other security agencies to reverse the trend.”
She said the high level of insecurity in the state has also “inflicted severe sorrow, pains as well as displaced many of its citizens and also derailed the execution of some developmental projects and policies of the government.
According to her, “We must acknowledge the fact that the evil activities of these terrorists have brought setbacks in the actualisation of government projects such as the multi billion naira Bobi Grazing Reserve, and road projects within the affected communities.”
She, however, disclosed that that government in a desperate bid to bring insurgency to an end has instituted a reward for those who are ready to supply credible intelligence on the activities of the terrorists, saying: “Situation/Control Room where credible intelligence is being reported to the security agency for prompt, rapid response” has been set up.
The press secretary said the government has supported the security apparatus with logistics and other welfare packages to enhance their effective operations against terrorists in the state in addition to personally visiting people in the troubled communities and also supported the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with relief materials and visited the camps of security operatives at different times to boost their morale.
