Terrorists in Niger state occupy displaced residents’ homes, cultivate crops
Five months after residents of Allawa Community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State were forced to flee their homes due to the withdrawal of soldiers, terrorists have reportedly moved into the abandoned community, taking over the residents’ homes and farms.
An Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from Erena, who spoke to Daily Trust, revealed that a group of people was sent to the community on Friday to assess whether it was safe to return. However, they were shocked to find terrorists occupying their homes and farming on their land.
“We went to check our homes to see if our communities were safe for return, but surprisingly, the terrorists are currently occupying Allawa. We saw them; they have cultivated most of our farmlands. They have used the fertilizers we acquired for this farming season before we were displaced in April,” the IDP said.
He added, “They have destroyed some of our houses and occupied the remaining ones. Our house was among those they destroyed. It is traumatic.”
The residents of Allawa Community fled on April 25, 2024, after soldiers stationed in the area were withdrawn following an ambush that claimed the lives of two military officers and a vigilante. The withdrawal left the community vulnerable, and since then, it has been overrun by terrorists.
Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), confirmed the withdrawal in April, stating that it was an administrative decision by the military to restrategize on how to defeat the terrorists.
“The whole thing is about administrative arrangements by the military to restrategize to return in full strength,” Mohammed explained in a text message.
However, efforts to reach the Commissioner for comments on the current situation were unsuccessful, as his phone number was not connecting, and he had not responded to messages sent to him.
Since the withdrawal of troops, residents of Allawa and surrounding communities have not returned home due to fear. The communities have reportedly been taken over by two different terrorist groups, who have not only occupied the homes but also cultivated the residents’ farmlands using the fertilizers left behind.
Ibrahim Muhammed Gando Allawa, Chairman of the Allawa Eagle Eye Forum, confirmed the development, stating, “They (terrorists) are now sleeping comfortably in our rooms. They even have the courage to plant crops in our farmlands by forcing the people of neighboring villages under their control, using the fertilizers we left behind.”
He noted that at least 15 communities, including Allawa, Jalako, Bassa, Kurebe, Madaka, and others, have been under the control of terrorist groups led by Layi and Kacalla.
Residents are now calling on the state and federal governments to take decisive action to dislodge the terrorists from their communities so they can return home and resume farming.
In response, spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, assured that security agencies were working with the military to ensure that all displaced persons return home.
“We are working with the military in line with the government’s effort to ensure that all displaced victims return to their villages, as counter-insurgency operations are ongoing in those axes,” he said.
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