Bandits have issued quit notice to residents of Pinau village in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, causing many of them to flee their homes. It was also at the same moment that soldiers of the Operation Safe Haven stationed in the community were withdrawn.
There have been heightened banditry in various communities of Wase local government area of Plateau State with attacks, kidnapping and cattle rustling occurring frequently.
According to the Daily Trust, the soldiers were stationed in the community in August last year when bandits attacked the community on market day when many were reportedly killed.
Garba Kasuwa, a resident Pinau, told a correspondent of the Daily Trust that soon after the soldiers were evacuated on Saturday morning, locals began to flee for fear that bandits could invade the community.
He said, “People are afraid that bandits will attack the village because the soldiers are not there. They have gone back to Wase, the headquarters of the LGA and no explanation was given in that regard. Our community is the next target because all other communities before our village have been deserted following a notice to quit issued by the bandits.
“I am also moving today (Saturday) with my family to Wase town. Our lives are in danger. Those who we rely on for protection have left. We just have to flee.”
Another resident of the community, Ubale Pinau, also said the community was no longer safe since the soldiers had left.
He said, “We don’t know why they have left the community. We have been staying there because of their presence. Now that they are not there, we have to live also.”
The spokesperson for OPSH, whose personnel were stationed in Pinau village, Major Ishaku Takwa, didn’t respond to a message sent to him by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.