Niger communities excited as soldiers return to Bassa, Allawa

Excited villagers on Saturday welcomed the return of soldiers to Bassa and Allawa towns in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State after a month of their quitting the area due to invasion of their camps by bandits.
The armed soldiers came in about 100 camouflage vehicles to begin a special operation in the area.
The return of the soldiers followed a series of meetings between the new General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj-Gen. Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi, the state government and other stakeholders in the state.
The military camps in Allawa and Bassa in the Shiroro Local Government of the state were shut down last month after bandits numbering about 100 invaded the Security Joint Taskforce camps in the two towns, killing 12 soldiers, burning the camps and some operational vehicles.
Another camp at Zagzaga in the Munya Local Government was also sacked a few days later during which one RSM was kidnapped and found dead three days after.
A senator representing Niger East Senatorial zone in the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Musa, said, “It is a welcome development and a great relief to the people it should be sustained.
“The return of soldiers is a great relief for my people, and I want to thank and commend President Muhammadu Buhari and the military for the return of the soldiers.
“I will equally want to appeal to them to hasten the return of soldiers to other communities to enable the people go back to their homes to continue their farming business.”