In the New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, bandits have allegedly built a camp at the Kainji National Park. According to locals, the gunmen seized control of the area and hampered local economies in the communities.
Aliyu Madami, a resident of New Bussa, claimed that the bandits had forced National Park workers to leave their station due to frequent attacks in the region.
He claimed that the bandits’ activities had pushed locals in New Bussa and the surrounding area to give up their farms and other commercial ventures.
Madami stated that more than 200 gunmen had turned the game reserve into their camp, forcing the workers, including forest guards, to flee for safety.
According to Madami,
“They now live in the park and it is from there that they come out to attack travellers along the busy Wawa-Luma highway, connecting the Benin Republic. Even the Nigerian Customs Service checkpoint Wawa-Babana has been abandoned by Customs officers as a result of the activities of the bandits.
“On Tuesday, the bandits attacked a commercial Sharon bus along the Wawa-Luma Road and kidnapped the entire passengers in the bus, including the driver”
When reached, Mallam Abdullahi Nasir, vice chairman of the Borgu Local Government Area in Niger, acknowledged the event and referred to it as “very worrisome and disturbing.”
Since sending a text message that went unanswered, it has been impossible to reach the state’s police public relations officer, DSP Abiodun Wasiu. Furthermore, his mobile phone line indicates that it has been switched off.
cc: Punch Ng
