‘Bandits Hibernate In Kainji National Park To Attack Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, Benin Republic’, Lawmaker Claims

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jafaru Mohammed Ali, has claimed that bandits are currently using the Kainji National Park in Niger State as their harbour and base from where they attack Agwara and Borgu LGAs of the State; Bagudo and Shanga LGAs in Kebbi State, Kaiama/Baruten in Kwara State and some neighbouring communities in Benin Republic.

The lawmaker representing Borgu/Agwara federal constituency of Niger State in the House, who disclosed this while briefing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday, disclosed that most of the bandits were foreigners who cannot even speak Nigerian languages.

According to him, some of the bandits migrated from Zamfara and Katsina States using Ibbi National Park as their link to enter Kaiama National Park and Kainji National Park as their destinations.

The lawmaker called on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, to mobilise military personnel with modern weapons to mop up the National Park near Kainji Dam which is currently in the control of bandits as their meeting point and establish Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Lumma, Audu Fari, Agwara and Mago areas of Niger State.

He asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to provide food and non-food items to the surviving victims and families of the deceased scattered across the federal constituency.

The lawmaker expressed grief over last Friday’s attack on St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra LGA, where 303 students, 12 teachers and a notable figure, Sarkin Samarin Agwara, were kidnapped in his constituency.

Ali recalled that earlier this month, during his routine condolence visit in his constituency, he was attacked by armed gunmen in their hundreds which resulted in loss of lives and injuries to many innocent personnel at Agwara to Babanna in Borgu local government area of Niger state.

“Let me use this medium to appreciate the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army for their quick response and providing helicopter for evacuation from where we were trapped during the attack.

“Also note that notable public figures, such as: former SUBEB Chairman, Niger State; Niger State Electoral Commissioner and dozens of travellers who were kidnapped along Mokwa to New-Bussa road and are still in captivity.

“On 2nd November, 2025 at Gidan Guga bordering Agwara and Borgu, three people were killed in a family compound while their father was injured and currently in Usman DanFodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

“Many villages and towns that were displaced include Boyiya, Bakin Bara to mention but a few; Aika, Kuka, Dekara, Kerenji, Saminaka and Audu Fari were fully dominated by bandits.

“Worrisome situation: the bandits are currently using the National Park as their harbour and base from where they attack Agwara, Borgu in Niger State, Bagudo and Shanga in Kebbi State, Kaiama/Baruten in Kwara State and some neighbouring communities in Benin Republic.

“Most of the bandits are foreigners who cannot even speak Nigerian languages.Some of them migrated from Zamfara and Katsina using Ibbi National Park as their link to enter Kaiama National Park and Kainji National Park as their destination.

“About a month ago, the bandits had laid ambush and bombed four personnel between Babanna and Lumma, while the last two months witnessed recurring killings, kidnappings and displacement in the entire Federal Constituency, including the public one in the police station at Lumma where a leader of the Fulani clan was assassinated in broad daylight because of his failure to compromise,” he stated.