By Abubakar Hassan
The Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA) has cried out to the federal government of Nigeria to redeploy military personnel to the troubled Lakpma axis of Shiroro local government area of Niger state.
The COSA Secretary, Comrade Sa'idu Salisu in a world press conference held on Thursday in Minna, said it was disheartening seeing their kinsmen being killed mercilessly by bandits, while some of them being displaced and now taking refuge in IDPs camp without a means of livelihood.
He observed that the primary responsibility of every government was the security of lives and properties of the people, saying their people must not continue to die needlessly, stressing the urgent need for the federal government to act swiftly and decisively by redeploying military personnel to Shiroro and other security challenged areas in the state.
The group said it was disheartening for the military to withdraw their personnel from Allawa in the heat of insecurity, but equally use the medium to comdole with the Nigeria Military over the lost of their men which were senior officers in an ambush in Allawa community, and also commended their doggedness in providing defense to the Allawa community for years.
"It is both discomforting and heart-rending that in the midst of intense security crisis the Nigeria army decided to withdraw its troops from Allawa community without any notice, leaving the inhabitants to the mercy of these ruthless terrorists which is contrary to section 47 of armed forces act," he added.
Comrade Sa'idu also disclosed that their kinsmen in Lakpma axis have relied on the military presence for protection but their unexpected withdrawal has left them defenseless, and the security vacuum created had exacerbated the vulnerability of the community which led to mass exodus from the area.
The Coalition demanded that the federal government direct the Nigeria military to redeploy their personnel to Allawa community and other troubled areas in Shiroro, and to also compensate the people of the local government, especially the people of Allawa community who have lost their properties and means of livelihood in a bid to run for their lives due to the withdrawal of the military without notice.
The group also called on the state government to intensify its efforts in addressing insecurity in Shiroro local government and other affected local governments in the state, even as it commended the government for its efforts in agriculture and infrastructural development.
Adding his voice to the call by COSA, the former Commissioner for Tertiary Education in the state and one of the leaders of Shiroro stakeholders forum, Prof. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu said they were paturbed about government the federal government lukewarm attitude towards their plight.
He said they feel abandoned, denied and neglected by the government, especially the federal government, adding that they feel humiliated as human beings by the federal government leaving.
Prof. Bashar Nuhu queried that if the military could be deployed to Sokoto for an episode that happened there why can't we have same military base in Allawa axis, saying the Allawa axis was very phenomenal to agricultural development and food security of the nation.
"Since Shagari era, a road was awarded from Pandogari to Allawa up to Gurmana axis and that road was abandoned, why? We as stakeholders are feeling that there is a conspiracy theory to deliberately impoverish our ethnic group as well as the communities in this area," said Prof. Bashar Nuhu.
He also disclosed that they have no option other than to cry out because they have done it quietly and they have written a lot of notes, as well as appealed in various dimensions but it seems nobody want to come to their aide, asking if they were slaves in Nigeria.
Prof. Nuhu said the stakeholders in Shiroro take exception to whatever excuses for the defense of innocent lives of the citizens of the Allawa community, adding that the people who were now taking refuge in IDP camps were living in unhygienic condition and without a means of livelihood which he said need to be urgently look into.
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