Niger residents flee as military officers leave community after ambush

Nigerian Army troops stationed to combat terrifying terrorists in the Allawa axis of the terror-ravaged Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State, North-central Nigeria, have evacuated, After losing two officers to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Wednesday.

The Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security and a former major-general, Garba Mohammed, stated on Thursday that the soldiers were recently sent to the village in response to the axis’s ongoing attacks.

Mr Mohammed stated further that in addition to the two officers murdered by the IEDs, nine others were injured and are currently being treated at an unnamed facility in the state. The locals who do not want their names disclosed corroborated with the commissioner’s estimates.

However, the commissioner explained that the withdrawal of the soldiers was in line with “administrative arrangement” for reinforcement against the terrorists.

Onyema Nwachukwu, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, a brigadier-general, declined to comment on the development on Thursday.

Responding to PREMIUM TIMES’ SMS enquiry, Mr Nwachukwu said, “I think we need to be a little bit discreet about impending and ongoing operations so as not to jeopardize them.”

Wednesday’s military casualties added to the list of six officers of the Nigerian Army that have lost their lives to terrorists in the axis within one week.

Last Friday, terrorists killed five soldiers and a captain in some villages — Roro, Karaga and Rumace — in Bassa ward in Allawa district.

Fleeing the terror yet to come
Local sources said as the soldiers prepared to leave the garrison town of Allawa, the residents and other refugees also fled to other places.

On 3 February, an IED detonated by Boko Haram insurgents taking cover in Allawa Games Reserve, killed some unsuspecting locals traveling along Allawa-Pandogari road.

This forced the military to close down the road until Wednesday when the newly deployed officers plied it.

The insurgents besieged Allawa once more two weeks after the IED strike in February, demolishing over thirty houses and taking food, livestock, and other valuables.

Previously, the terrorists had launched terror attacks on neighboring villages of Allawa, including Bassa, Kukoki, Samunaka, Unguwar Sarkin Noma, and Kaliya Pangu, among others.