Niger Assembly asks FG to deploy security agents to Kuchi
By Saka Bolaji
Worried by the continued bandits attacks on community in Niger State, members of the State House of Assembly, has asked the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, deploy security agents to the troubled Kuchi community in Munya Local Government Area of the state.
This followed sustained attacks by bandits for four days running, the latest being the abduction of the village head, Musa Ali.
Last week, gunmen numbering over 300 invaded the ancient railway town of Kuchi and unleashed terror on the people, kidnapping over 150 villagers under a downpour.
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Seven people were killed, including four members of the joint security task force stationed in the area, while several others were injured.
About 25 of the gunmen were equally neutralised by the joint security task force before they ran out of ammunition in an attack the villagers said lasted over three hours with no help coming from anywhere.
Two days after the attack, the gunmen returned to the community, on Sunday morning, and whisked away the village head and entire members of his household.
It was gathered from a source close to the community that he was, however, released midway into the journey, to go and source for money for the release of his family members.
The legislators , in a motion of urgent public importance brought before it by the member representing Munya state Constituency, Joseph Haruna Duza, called on the federal and the state governments to deploy security agents to the community.
Duza told the house that the entire community, with over 3,000 inhabitants, has been deserted.
He explained that the sustained attacks by the bandits have left the community in ruins as the gunmen looted everything the people had laboured for, stressing that “shops, houses and food barns were not spared.
He said: “150 people were kidnapped, four security personnel and three villagers were killed, while several others were equally injured. The entire community has been deserted and the bandits have taken over”.
The house unanimously adopted the motion which was seconded by member representing Agaie constituency, Mohammed Estugaie, and asked both the federal and state governments to immediately deploy security agents to the area, to restore normalcy and enable the people return to their homes.
The house also called on the government through the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and the state Emergency Management Agency to extend some relief materials to the displaced people of the community.
The speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, who presided over sitting, asked the house to observe one minute of silence for the souls of those who were killed by the bandits.
