The Defence Headquarters has refuted claims that a training camp in Niger State has been taken over by terrorists.
The Defence Headquarters had dismissed the claim by the Niger House of Assembly that the Nigerian Army Training Camp in Kotangora has been taken over by bandits/terrorists.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement on Wednesday, said, “no inch of the training area has been ceded to the terrorist”.
“Firstly, this headquarters seize the opportunity to unequivocally state that, this allegation is incorrect and in accurate with realities on the ground.
“While, it is understanding that troops have recorded encounters with terrorists in the course of operating in the general area.No inch of the training area has been ceded to the terrorist,” he said.
Buba said troops had constantly eliminated the threat posed by terrorist crisscrossing the vast area, adding that their clearance operations in the area had denied the terrorist freedom of action.
He clarified that the ongoing operations, particularly in Niger was targeted at terrorists, saying it was erroneous for such threats to be described in any other form other than terrorism.
According to him, the military is working closely with the Niger State Government to ensure improved security in the state and for the citizens.
“Our troops are not relenting at ensure total destruction of these terrorists wherever they maybe hiding,” he added.
Niger lawmakers raise alarm as bandits take over Nigerian military’s largest training camp
Bandits have taken over a military cantonment hosting the largest military training camp in Nigeria, where personnel of the Nigerian Army’s artillery corps undergo training
The Niger State House of Assembly has raised an alarm over the occupation of Nigeria’s largest military training camp in Kontagora Local Government Area by bandits.
The lawmakers said the bandits’ activities have displaced 23 communities around the Nagwamase military cantonment in the Kontagora local council headquarters.
According to the lawmakers, the cantonment hosts the largest military training camp in Nigeria, where personnel of the Nigerian Army’s artillery corps undergo training.
The Assembly said that bandits had taken over the training camp and urged the state government to immediately liaise with the military authorities to flush them out.
The matter was brought to the attention of the lawmakers through a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Kontagora 11 constituency, Abdullahi Isah, during a plenary on Tuesday.
Mr Isah said the non-state actors now occupy the military camp, which occupied a large piece of land extending from Kontagora local council to part of Mariga local council.
The lawmaker informed his colleagues that since the bandits took over the training camp, 23 farming communities had relocated due to frequent attacks by the gunmen.
“This military camp is now known to have been taken over by bandits, who are said to have established at least eight different camps in the area. The presence of the bandits on this training camp, which now serves as their safe haven, has posed a serious security threat to communities within the camp, both in Kontagora and Mariga local councils.”
The lawmaker said in the last month, communities near the training camp had been under intense attacks by bandits operating with impunity, adding that the gunmen were still holding some members of the communities abducted during a recent operation.
