By Priscilla Campbell,
Minna
The youths in Shiroro council of Niger State have raised alarm over continuous raiding of the area by armed bandits.
They said that the attacks were heralded by an helicopter hovering the area, which they claimed was on a surveillance mission.
The attacks, according to them, have led to kidnapping, death of many residents and burning of houses in the area.
The Convener, Concerned Youths of Shiroro, Bello Ibrahim, made the disclosure at a press conference in Minna.
He described the situation as a plan by the state government to eliminate the people of the zone.
He said, “Anytime, there is air surveillance in the area, it will not take up to two days, there will be banditry attacks. The sad thing is that the bandits will usually get away with it.
“And, in the next two weeks, if nothing tangible is urgently and holistically done to address these insecurity challenges, we shall be left with no option than mobilize our people to henceforth abdicate from any civic responsibilities.
“It will be immaterial, inconsequential and of no effect whatsoever to continue to pay civil allegiance to government that cannot ordinarily guarantee our safety and security. “
While, lambasting political representatives of Niger East at both the National and State Houses of Assembly of not assisting victims of attacks, he describing their leadership as ineffective, stale and non-existence.
The representatives include Senator Musa Sani, Hon. Captain Sheri, and member state Assembly, representing the council, commissioner and other state political office holders.
The convener said that despite series of armed bandits attacks suffered by the people, the representatives have failed to rise up to the challenge confronting the area, while particularly accusing Senator Sani Musa of failing to keep to the promise he made the last time he visited some of the communities attacked by the bandits.
Berating President Muhammadu Buhari’s attitude to the plight of the area, the group stated, “The administration is skewed to a region; he has never come out to condemn the series of attacks in Niger State; but, when bandits attacked in his state, he came out and condemned it through his Senior Special Media Assistant, Garba Shehu.
“We are still being attacked due to lack of coordination by the political leaders in the state. The leadership is grossly ineffective.”
The leader of the youth group also berated the state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, for not visiting and sympathise with the people of the area over the attacks, adding, “I can recall that Shiroro gave him the second highest votes during the elections. “
He further disclosed that currently a total of 79 villages in Shiroro Lg have been raided and destroyed by the bandits, leaving many displaced who are presently taking refuge at the IDP camp in Bosso Local Government Area.
