By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the last local government election for Kontagora Local Go...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the last local government election for Kontagora Local Government Area, Hon. Garba Ibrahim Madara, has called on politicians, traditional title holders, and other stakeholders to unite and rescue the Niger North region from the worsening insecurity.
Hon. Madara, who made the appeal in Minna, said the security situation has gone beyond what the government alone can handle. According to him, “This is no longer about government; it is about the path we choose to save our homeland.” He expressed concern that despite having an Air Force base in Borgu Emirate and a military base in Kontagora, armed groups continue to restrict the movement of residents.
He said about 60 percent of farmers have fled their communities to save their lives, farmlands have been abandoned, and agricultural activities crippled. “What we are asking is simple: whose pockets are the funds released by the Federal Government for insecurity entering? It has been over two years now, and nothing has reached Niger North in the name of tackling insecurity. Where are these funds going?” he queried.
Citing Tudun Magaji near Rijiyar Nagwamatse, a historic community of over 2,000 people, Madara lamented that the entire population has been displaced for almost two years. “When we visited there for campaign, the town was full of life. Today, even the few animals you see belong to people from elsewhere. This is the same situation in parts of Borgu Emirate,” he noted.
He added that waiting for government action could further endanger the remaining communities, stressing that there has been no concrete step taken by the Niger State Government to restore confidence or give residents any assurance of safety. “Anyone who leaves home for a month is now afraid to return,” he said.
Madara urged the government to uphold its campaign promise to safeguard lives and property instead of blaming the opposition. “The opposition does not carry guns or knives; their only weapon is their voter card,” he said. He also commended Kebbi and Kwara states for taking proactive measures on insecurity, contrasting their efforts with the alleged neglect of Niger North.
Speaking on the closure of schools in Niger State, Madara said the decision was partly justified but poorly implemented. According to him, Kwara State assessed high-risk areas before shutting down schools, a step he said Niger should have followed. “If education collapses alongside agriculture and local businesses already affected, what kind of society are we building?” he asked.
The SDP chieftain further warned that bandits have attacked communities across Rijau, Mariga, Mashegu, Zugurma, Bargu, and recently abducted over 200 children in Agwara. “If they finish with our villages, those of us in the towns will not be safe,” he cautioned.
Madara accused the government of prioritizing power over human lives, recalling an incident in which security operatives allegedly killed a person during the local government elections at his polling unit in Kontagora.
“The government is only concerned about holding onto power, not the survival of our people,” he concluded.
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