Over five hundred communities in eight wards of Shiroro local government area of Niger State have been taken over by Boko Haram and other insurgent groups.
Recall that early this year, Governor Abubakar Bello raised the alarm that Boko Haram had hoisted their flag in some communities in Shiroro LGA.
Speaking with newsmen on the situation of the LGA yesterday, in Minna, the State capital, the chairman of Shiroro council, Suleiman Chukumba, said, “The entire wards are affected by banditry and Boko Haram insurgents.
“500 communities, in the eight wards, are affected. They include: Manta, Gurmana, Bassa-Kokki, Allawa, Kurebe, Kushaka, Kwati, Chukumba and Galadima Kogo,” he noted.
The Chairman cried out for help, saying that Boko Haram now rules in most of the communities, accusing the group of trying to equip the people to fight against the government”.
He added that Boko Haram insurgents have proclaimed that they do not want conventional primary and secondary schools, and that their only preference is the Islamic school.
“They have been trying to incorporate and recruit residents of the communities to become their members, telling them that they will give the recruits arms and assist them in fighting the government”, Chukumba stated.
He expressed his worry that the preachings of the Boko Haram members are against the government and that they have been asking residents to be part of what they are doing.
The LG Chairman appealed to the Federal Government to bring in more security personnel to help the state disband and dislodge the Boko Haram bandits that had already made Shiroro LGA their home.
