Daniel Atori and Mairo Mohammed Allawa
Minna, Nigeria – Religious and traditional leaders in Borgu emirate comprising of Agwara and Borgu local government areas in Niger state have called on the federal government to urgently address rising insecurity in the emirate.
Making the appeal during a press conference in Suleja over the weekend, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Niger State, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, flanked by other community leaders of Borgu emirate beg President Bola Tinubu to to act on his earlier promise to safeguard the emirate.
Yohanna described the security situation as dire, highlighting repeated attacks on residents, schools, and police facilities adding that many children cannot attend school safely and farmers are abandoning their lands.
“The people of Agwara deserve to live without fear. Our children deserve a secured future. Our people need to farm their lands and sleep peacefully in their homes,” he said.
The cleric argued, “Our people are helpless and crying for help. We want you to beef up security in Agwara, especially in Papiri town, where St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools serve over 50 communities,” he said. “We are appealing for a military base that will ensure security presence at all times.”
“The time to act is now, before we lose more lives and before our communities lose faith entirely in the government’s capacity to protect them,” Bishop Yohanna concluded.
In his address, Dr. Murtala Dantoro who is son of the late Emir of Borgu, described the attacks as a humanitarian emergency that threatens lives and livelihoods across the kingdom.
According to him “Borgu Kingdom is bleeding. Families are being torn apart, livelihoods destroyed. Our farmers, once the breadbasket of the Northwest, could soon depend on government relief if this is not urgently addressed.
“We are calling on the President, the Jagaban Borgu to approve emergency funding to enable security operatives tackle the security challenges of Borgu kingdom.
“The title of Jagaban carries great honor, but it also carries great responsibility. Your people, the people of Borgu Kingdom are looking to you. We trust that you will act with the urgency this crisis demands”.
The Borgu Prince noted that local communities are ready to cooperate with security agencies, including vigilante groups and traditional institutions, but require immediate federal support.
“Our communities are organized. Vigilantes are ready. Traditional institutions are engaged. We will partner fully with any intervention you authorize,” he said.
Also, Mohammed Sani Ibrahim, leader of Muslim Community, Borgu emirate disclosed that so far a total of over 50 persons abducted by terrorists in Agwara and Kansuwa Dani attacks comprising mostly of children Borgu are still in captivity.
” For over five weeks these victims are still not yet rescued and the attacks affected both Christians and Muslims who are mostly children, we want government to help us rescue them, ” he stated.
Both leaders specifically appealed to the President, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser, Inspector General of Police, and Conservator General of National Parks intervene in the security crisis facing the emirate emphasizing that swift action is critical to save lives and restore peace.
They called for the declaration of Borgu and Agwara LGAs as security priority zones, immediate deployment of military units, reconstruction of Agwara Police Station, and enhanced surveillance of nearby forest reserves and highways.