Bandits: Governor Bago Orders Niger Residents to Vacate Kainji Lake Area

The Niger government has given a two-month notice to people living in hamlets around Kainji Lake to vacate the area so as to be resettled by the Emirate Council.

The notice was given in a statement on Wednesday by Bologi Ibrahim, the chief press secretary to Governor Muhammad Bago.

Mr Bago issued the directive during a condolence visit to the Emir of Borgu, Muhammad-Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, at his palace in New Bussa.

He told the traditional ruler that his visit was to commiserate with him and the entire people of the emirate over the recent terrorist attack that claimed so many lives.

The governor said that resettling the people had become necessary to avoid collateral damage, as his administration, in collaboration with the federal government, was determined to clear the forest.

He said this was to flush out criminals who were using Kainji Lake as their camp, thereby making the area very uninhabitable for the people around it.

He decried the influx of people into the emirates without profiling, noting that it had become a security concern, even as informants’ activities had thwarted security efforts in the emirate.

Mr Bago, therefore, urged the Emirate Council to fulfill its responsibilities and to join forces with the security agencies and the government at all levels to combat any form of insecurity in the emirate.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the emir and the people of the Emirate, especially the families of the victims, and prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed.

In the same vein, the deputy agriculture minister, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the federal government was also interested in ensuring peace and security across the country.

“It will be a welcome development if some concrete actions are taken to get the people relocated while the forest is taken back and deployed for further community use,” he stated.

Responding, the emir pledged to work closely with relevant authorities to identify and prosecute informants in the emirate, adding that the security of lives and property was paramount.

He promised that no stone would be left unturned in securing the lives and property of his people and the area.

Mr Dantoro appreciated the governor’s visit and reassured him of the emirate’s continued support for his policies and programmes geared towards improving the lives of the people.

(NAN)