Borgu Prince Appeals to Tinubu for Urgent Security Intervention as Terrorists Ravage Niger Communities

By Correspondent in Minna.

Alarmed by the rising wave of deadly attacks in Borgu and Agwarra Local Government Areas of Niger State, Prince Murtala Haliru Dantoro, son of the late Emir of Borgu, has passionately appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and rescue communities he said are being held hostage by terrorists.

Prince Dantoro, who spoke against the backdrop of repeated killings and destruction of property, in an interview with journalusts in Minna on Thursday,urged the President to act in honour of his long-standing friendship with the late Emir of Borgu Kingdom, Alhaji Halilu Jikantoro.

The prince recalls that President Tinubu, who once served as a senator alongside the late monarch, was conferred with a traditional title by the Borgu Emirate in recognition of that relationship.

Years after his father’s demise,
the Prince said the bond should now translate into decisive action to end the siege on Borgu and Agwarra communities, particularly by establishing joint security outposts to dislodge terrorists who have reportedly taken over parts of the Kainji National Park and game reserve.

Prince Dantoro painted a grim picture of life in the affected areas, describing the security situation as “becoming unbearable,” with residents living in constant fear and anguish.

“I am deeply troubled by the continuous loss of innocent lives and property in our communities.

“Families have been torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and our people are fast losing hope in the ability of their leaders to protect them,”he lamented.

He also called on President Tinubu and Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, to urgently intervene and provide lasting solutions to what he described as a worsening humanitarian crisis.

“As law-abiding Nigerians, our people deserve to live normal lives without fear, to work freely on their farmlands and to sleep with their two eyes closed in their homes. “This is not just a local crisis; it is a humanitarian emergency that demands immediate and decisive action from the highest levels of government,”Dantoro stated.

The Prince, who is also an aspirant for the House of Representatives under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the coming political dispensation, expressed concern that the persistent insecurity threatens the very foundation of democracy.

“One of the basic responsibilities of government is the protection of lives and property,. “If our people are continually killed and displaced, who will exercise their democratic rights in the 2027 general elections?”he questioned.

According to him, democracy can only thrive where citizens are safe and hopeful, not where communities exist under the shadow of terror and uncertainty.

Dantoro urged the Federal Government to deploy adequate security forces, provide necessary resources, and collaborate closely with indigenous stakeholders to restore peace and rebuild trust in Borgu Kingdom.

“Our people have been patient and resilience,but patience without action breeds despair.

“The time to act is now,before more lives are lost and before our communities completely lose faith in the government’s ability to protect them and their property,”he added.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.