Against audacious incursion into villages and illegal seizure of property by Boko Haram insurgents, Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, is afraid that Abuja, Nigeria’s capital may not be safe soon.
This is as Boko Haram has already infiltrated Niger State, adjoining state to Abuja and had not only hoisted their flags in captured villages, including Kaure village in the Shiroro Local Government of the state.
Speaking when he visited the Internally Displaced People, IDPs Camp at the IBB primary school near the Emir of Minna’s palace, Governor Bello said the insurgents have also forcefully allocated, shared married women to themselves as wives.
The governor contended that Sambisa is several kilometers from Abuja, but Kaure is just two kilometres from Abuja, insisting that nobody is safe anymore not even residents of Abuja.
He said because of the influx of the displaced people from the villages, the IBB Primary school was hurriedly turned into IDP camp by government to cater for the affected people.
The displaced people in the camp were over 5,000, including villagers sacked from their ancestral homes in Shiroro and Munya local government areas by the bandits who raided the towns over the weekend.
The governor said, “I am confirming that there are Boko Haram elements here in Niger State.
”Here in Kaure in Shiroro Local government area, I am confirming that they have hoisted their flags there.
”The villagers’ wives have been seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members.
”I just heard that they have placed their flags at Kaure meaning they have taken over the territory.
“This is what I have been engaging the Federal government on but unfortunately, it has now got to this level. If care is not taken, even Abuja will not be safe.
”We have been saying this for long but all our efforts have been in vain. But with the latest development, I hope the time has come for a more coordinated military activity to take place.
“With the development, the Boko Haram elements are trying to use this area as their home just as they did in Sambisa. Sambisa is several kilometres from Abuja but Kaure is just two hours drive to Abuja so nobody is safe anymore not even those in Abuja.”
He called on the Federal government to act now adding that the fight was beyond Niger State but that of the entire country.
“I have made several efforts to bring the several attacks by bandits in the state to no avail through to the Federal Government but I am not waiting for anyone anymore as I am going to take more action.”
Statistics show that there are 447 women, 119 pregnant women and 1,447 children at the Minna Camp.
