The Nigerian military has closed down its camp and withdrawn troops in Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State after renewed attacks in the community.
Politics Nigeria reports that there has been renewed attacks in the community which made hundreds of locals including women, the elderly and children to flee their ancestral homes in search of safety.
According to residents of the community, they woke up on Thursday seeing the soldiers removing their tents in preparation to leave the community.
One of the locals who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the withdrawal came two days after the military vehicle stepped on a landmine along Allawa-Pandogari road, leading to an unspecified number of casualties.
“I don’t know if you were aware that on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 the military personel on their way to Allawa stepped on IED and casuallities including death were recorded.
“Some of them are in the hospital. The incident happened on Allawa-pandogari road Tuesday,” he said.
The Tuesday incident came less than a week after six soldiers and a vigilante lost their lives in an ambush at Roro when bandits launched multiple attacks on Roro, Karaga, Rumace and other farming communities.
Another resident, Mallam Yahuza Allawa, said dozens of residents had vacated their communities as early as 4am on foot and were heading towards Erena, Gwada, Kuta or Zumba for safety.
“This is a serious issue. Please help us report this issue. We are leaving our communities now and there are insufficient motorcycles and vehicles to take us out as quick as possible.
“We are afraid. May be if you report it, government will bring vehicles to evacuate us to safe places. Our belongings are there, we can’t pack them.
“Wallahi, hundreds of us have left our communities already. We cannot take Pandogari road because it is not safe. So, we are moving to either Erena, Gwada, Kuta or Zumba. And from Allawa to Erena which is the only exit road for us is at least 42km and we are trekking because there are no vehicles to convey us. We have old people among us.
“Many people left their homes as early as 4am before early morning prayers. We cannot wait to be killed by these heartless bandits and Boko Haram,” he said.
He noted that the fleeing farmers have hundreds of goats and other domestic animals and other valuables, including foodstuffs that they were not able to evacuate due to lack of vehicles.
He said Allawa and adjoining communities had relied on the presence of the military for protection, saying that the withdrawal came as a surprise to them.
The Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (RTD) confirmed the withdrawal of the troops.
He said it was part of the arrangements by the military to restrategise on best ways to tackle insecurity.
“The whole thing is about administrative arrangements by the military to restrategise to return in full strength,” he told DailyTrust.
