Niger State government asking residents to ‘remain calm’ in the face of ongoing killings and fresh terrorist threats is both unrealistic and unfair to the people affected.
Development Diaries reports that following last Saturday’s massacre that left over 40 people dead in Agwara and Borgu areas of the state, the Commissioner for Information, Obed Nana, has urged residents to remain calm.
Media reports have it that residents of several communities in both local government areas are fleeing their homes due to fears of renewed attacks after terrorists reportedly issued fresh threats.
Villagers disclosed that the assailants warned they would continue the killings, while they also alleged that soldiers deployed to the affected areas withdrew shortly after their arrival, leaving communities without a visible security presence.
How can citizens stay calm when over 40 people have been brutally killed, homes and markets burnt, and terrorists are openly warning that they will strike again?
This is not a rumour or distant fear for communities in Agwara and Borgu; it is a daily reality.
Asking people to stay calm without guaranteeing their safety will only deepen their fear, and this clearly shows a disconnect from what the people of the state are going through on the ground.
Beyond the words, the experiences shared by villagers, priests, and survivors expose a gap in security response, with residents saying that soldiers deployed after the attack withdrew shortly after, leaving communities exposed while terrorists moved freely across villages and even into neighbouring states.
Families are fleeing, children are hiding in the bush, and recently rescued schoolchildren are being re-traumatised. This situation shows that short-term deployments and after-the-fact reactions are not enough to protect lives.
While President Bola Tinubu has ordered a manhunt and directed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to track down the attackers, the people should measure success by action, not announcements.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, the National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, and security chiefs must ensure a strong, visible, and continuous security presence in Agwara, Borgu and surrounding border communities. Terrorist hideouts in the Kainji Game Reserve and their movement routes must be dismantled urgently.
Photo source: Zakari Kontagora/BBC
