Member representing Borgu/Agwara Federal Constituency of Niger State, Jafaru Mohammad Ali has claimed that Kainji National Park, once a hub of Nigeria’s wildlife and tourism, has now been overtaken by terrorists.
The lawmaker who was recently brutally attacked by the bandits raised the alarm on Wednesday while addressing newsmen after the House adopted his motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance.
He called for immediate military intervention to save the constituency from the daily dastardly act of the daring bandits.
The lawmaker also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene before the crisis escalates further.
He lamented that terrorists have fully taken over the control of the park, displacing rangers, seizing administrative offices, and converting tourist facilities into operational bases.
“Nobody can enter the park anymore, the National Park has become a haven for terrorists, residents are being displaced, forced to compromise, or killed.
“If urgent action is not taken, the entire constituency risks total domination by these criminals, they operate openly unchallenged
“Many of the terrorists are foreign fighters moving through interconnected forest reserves to strengthen their hold on the region,” he said.
The lawmaker cited several recent attacks linked to the park’s takeover, including the November 21 abduction of 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of the state; the November 4 ambush on his convoy, and the November 2 killings at Gidan Guga.
Ali urged the House to direct the Chief of Defence Staff to deploy well-equipped troops and establish Forward Operating Bases in strategic communities, including Lumma, Audu Fari, Agwara, and Mago.
While calling for the immediate and direct intervention of Tinubu as the father of the nation and the longstanding ties between the Borgu Emirate and him, he warned that neglect could deepen the suffering of residents.
“We supported him. We won all the polling units for him. We don’t want anything from him, only peace in our communities,” he concluded.
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