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By Correspondent in Minna
Youths in Allawa, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state have appealed to the Joint Security task Force (JSTF) not to leave them at the mercy of the bandits they described as blood thirsty criminals.
The correspondent of The Reporters reports that the youth’s plea is coming against the backdrop of bandits’ renewed onslought against Niger communities and the rumour that the Joint Security Task Force may soon withdraw over continued attacks.
The latest attacks have resulted in the death of five soldiers, one NSCDC officer and one local Vigilante,
The affected youths argued that doing so would amount to leaving the
entire communities vulnerable to the bandits who might have become more daring as the days goes by ‘because the government refused to meet their demands’.
The President of, Lakpma Youths Assembly, Mallam Jubrin Allawa, in a statement made available to journalists in Minna said that the decision to withdraw security personel around Lakpma axis of Shiroro local Government Area was grossly an unhealthy.
He said:“It is an unhealthy decision withdrawing security personnel, equivalent to government ceading the entire land constituting eight political Wards to the miscreants.
” We have for too long been left at the mercy of the armed bandits, hence Lakpma Youths Assembly will go to any length to fight in defence of our people.”
Allawa expressed sympathy with the military and other security agencies for the loss of their officers and appealed to the relevant authorities to rescind their decision in order to save the lives of the poor citizens of Lakpma and the entire Shiroro local government being held hostage by armed bandits.
In a related development, the Concerned Shiroro Youths have raised alarm that the Joint Security Task Force stationed in Allawa and Bassa towns of Shiroro local government area have been withdrawn, adding that their lives were in danger by such development.
The Youths, through their Co-convener, Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, in a statement on Sunday said ‘it is sad that no reason was advanced for the withdrawal of the joint security personnel’.
The youths expressed sadness that while others were celebrating the Easter to commemorate the death and risen of Jesus Christ, people from the affected communities in the state lived in perpetual fear for their lives at the mercy of bandits who are now more daring than before.
“But we believe it will not be unconnected with the casualties suffered by the JSTF during Thursday’s invasion of their camp by the heartless, venomous and hydraheaded terrorist group,” the youths noted.
“The withdrawal of the security agencies will make the affected communities prone to more deadly attacks. “These areas will become porous and inhabitants therein will become soft targets and vulnerable to these criminals,”they added.
The youths therefore called on the relevant authorities to prevail on the security forces to rescind their decision to vacate the area in order to give Shiroro local government area and its people a semblance of sanity “and a place where someone can live in.”
