The Niger State House of Assembly has called on the military to take decisive action against bandit groups reportedly operating on the grounds near the Kontagora Army Barracks.
The call came following the recent abduction of over 20 passengers traveling along the Mariga-Kontagora road on Thursday, October 31.
According to Barrister Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, the Speaker of the Niger Assembly and Mariga Constituency representative, bandits blocked the road between Baban-Lamba and Beri, seizing passengers from five vehicles and moving them to a forest near the military training ground.
Sarkin-Daji highlighted that victims previously held in the same area, after their families paid ransom, confirmed they were held in a forest within sight of the army barracks.
Despite military denials, the Speaker insists that the assembly’s findings reveal the bandits have been using the vicinity as a hideout to launch attacks and detain captives. He urged the military to thoroughly investigate local complaints and prevent the forest from being used as a “safe haven” for bandits.
“Dismissing these reports endangers our communities,” Sarkin-Daji stated, emphasizing the Assembly’s determination to seek federal intervention for the safety of their constituents.
