Residents and youths in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have begun raising difficult questions about the state of security and leadership in the country following deadly airstrikes and renewed bandit threats across affected communities.
The concerns followed yesterday’s airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), which reportedly killed scores of people and injured many others, including women and children, in Kusasu and other villages in Shiroro Local Government Area. The incident also coincided with reports of a mass exodus of residents from several communities in neighbouring Munya Local Government Area due to escalating banditry threats.
Over the years, communities across Shiroro and Munya local government areas have continued to grapple with insecurity linked to bandit attacks, accidental airstrikes, kidnappings, and cattle rustling.
“The question is, do we even have a government?” asked Shamsudeen Abdul Rahim, a concerned indigene of Shiroro.
Erroneous airstrikes vs. precision strikes
It could be recalled that a similar airstrike was recorded on Thursday, April 21, 2022, when six persons were killed in Kurebe, under Allawa District in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Youths in the affected communities expressed frustration over what they described as a recurring cycle of violence and inadequate protection. According to some residents, the recent incidents have deepened public distrust and heightened feelings of abandonment among rural dwellers.
Mansur S. Umar recounted: “Sadly, this kind of incident has happened repeatedly over time, yet there has been little or no response from the government.”
Another concerned youth, who preferred anonymity, told ASHENEWS: “It has become obvious that we are left on our own.”
However, in a press statement published by Vanguard Newspaper, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, maintained that the strikes were precisely targeted at identified terrorist enclaves and achieved their intended military objectives, reportedly neutralising about 70 armed bandits in Kusasu alone.
According to the Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maurice Magaji, the strikes, which occurred in different locations including Kusasu, Katerma, Bokko, and Kuduru villages, were conducted after villagers had allegedly been notified to evacuate the affected areas.
On the other hand, images circulating from the aftermath of the incident appear to raise questions about the military’s assertion that the operation was carried out with precision and without civilian casualties.
Photographs of victims, independently verified through reverse image searches, showed individuals — including children — receiving treatment for visible injuries in what appeared to be healthcare facilities.
Voice of the local authority
The Chairman of Shiroro Local Government Council, Isyaku Bawa Kuta, stated that the affected persons were living in communities known for armed bandit activities.
He described Kusasu as a bandit-prone community and said residents had earlier been advised to evacuate and relocate to Galadiman Kogo as a precautionary safety measure, but many reportedly remained in the area.
Contrary to the position of the Nigerian Air Force, the chairman acknowledged that civilian casualties were recorded during the strikes, although he maintained that the operation was intended to target armed bandits and not innocent residents.
Forced displacement
Following the airstrikes, armed bandits were reportedly seen fleeing the area. Subsequently, residents in communities along the Munya axis allegedly abandoned their homes after receiving reports of an approaching large group of armed bandits.
The development forced many families to flee to neighbouring communities in search of safety.
In a video posted on Facebook by a user identified as Ikkoh Jeremiah, a large number of displaced persons were seen arriving in Gwada town in Shiroro Local Government Area, many on motorcycles, in an apparent attempt to seek refuge.
Similarly, an eyewitness, D English Alhaji, confirmed to ASHENEWS that there was a mass movement of residents from communities around Munya to Gwada.
“These individuals receive no government support, yet they cannot live their lives in peace because of their poverty,” he stated.
However, ASHENEWS gathered that some of the fleeing residents have started returning to their communities following the restoration of relative calm in parts of the affected areas.
Humanitarian concerns
At the time of filing this report, no humanitarian support had reportedly reached the affected civilians from the state government, federal authorities, or non-governmental organisations.
According to Trust TV, many of the affected victims were left to cope on their own, relying largely on personal efforts and support from community members.
Final plea
Niger State has, for years, recorded repeated incidents of banditry and accidental airstrikes during military operations, resulting in significant loss of lives and destruction of property.
Concerned community members appealed for calm while calling on security agencies to sustain operations aimed at restoring lasting peace in areas ravaged by insecurity.
According to residents, although many people are eager to return to normal life, there remains deep concern over the persistent insecurity confronting rural communities across the state.
