Northern Senators Want Security Strengthened In Kopre-Sambisa Corridor

The Northern Senators Forum has appealed to the federal government and Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to reinforce security presence along the Kopre-Sambisa corridor in Adamawa State following recent attacks on the 226 and 232 Battalions by insurgents.

The senators, in a statement signed by their chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, representing Katsina Central, described the attacks, which claimed the lives of three soldiers, a forest guard and civilians, as an assault not only on Adamawa State and the North but on Nigeria as a whole.

The attacks occurred on Wednesday and Thursday in Garaha, Dabna, Bangna, Mubang, Zah, Bitirhuya, Kwapre, Mayo Ladde, Gaya-Dlang, Garkida, Boima and Guyaku in Hong and Gombi local government areas.

The senators expressed concern over reports of killings, abductions, destruction of property and places of worship, as well as the displacement of hundreds of residents from their ancestral communities.

“We are deeply pained by the reports of killings, abductions of women and children, burning of places of worship, destruction of properties, and the tragic displacement of hundreds of families who were forced to flee their ancestral homes on the eve of our nation’s 66th Independence anniversary,” the senators said.

They specifically identified the military formations at Garkida and Garaha as targets of the attacks.

“These attacks, which targeted the 226 Battalion in Garkida and 232 Battalion in Garaha, are not only an assault on Adamawa State, but an assault on the North and on the Nigerian nation as a whole,” they said.

The Northern senators urged the Federal Government, through the Defence Headquarters, to adopt a more proactive security strategy to prevent further attacks and dismantle insurgent strongholds in the area.

“We call on the Federal Government and Defence Headquarters to urgently reinforce security presence in the Kopre-Sambisa corridor and adopt a unified, proactive strategy to flush out these criminal enclaves,” the statement said.

The lawmakers also appealed to residents of the affected communities to support security agencies by providing timely, actionable intelligence to help prevent further attacks.

They said residents’ cooperation was critical to identifying the movements and activities of insurgents and other criminal elements operating in the affected areas.

The senators further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to urgently provide relief materials and other assistance to victims and communities affected by the attacks.

While commiserating with the families of those killed, the lawmakers assured residents of Adamawa State that they would not be abandoned in the face of the security challenges.

“The Northern Senators Forum stands in solidarity with the people of Adamawa State. By our collective efforts, you will not be abandoned to terrorists,” they said.

The lawmakers condemned the attacks and urged the relevant security agencies to intensify operations to restore peace and protect communities in the affected corridor.

“We condemn in the strongest terms these cowardly acts,” the senators said.