Security Forces Move to reclaim sacked communities, rescue Victims in Niger

 By Daniel Ebi, Minna.

Security forces have launched a coordinated operation to reclaim communities overrun by suspected bandits in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and rescue scores of villagers abducted during recent Mosque attacks.

The operation followed the deployment of a special rescue team by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, in response to the mass abduction of residents from several communities in the area last Friday.

The rescue mission is being led by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Victor Olaiya, with personnel drawn from the Niger State Police Tactical Team, Counter-Terrorism Squad, Department of State Services (DSS) and the military.

The latest operation represents a major escalation in the security response to the attacks, as authorities move beyond efforts to locate the victims to a broader clearance operation aimed at flushing out criminal elements and reopening the affected communities.
The development was confirmed by the Coordinator of the newly established Niger State Security Situation Room and Commissioner for Homeland Security, Mr Maurice Magaji, who said the state government had made available the necessary logistics to support the operation.

Magaji expressed sadness over the mass abduction and other casualties recorded during the attacks, assuring that the government would continue to work with the security agencies until the victims are rescued.

The Security Situation Room, established to strengthen real-time coordination of security operations across the state, brings together key security stakeholders, including the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of the DSS.

Also speaking on the operation, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who represented the Commissioner of Police, disclosed that the rescue operation commenced on Thursday.

He said all available operational platforms had been deployed to ensure the safe and speedy recovery of the abducted villagers.

According to him, security agencies were still working with residents and other local sources to establish the exact number of people abducted as well as the number of casualties arising from the attacks.

Abiodun also dismissed reports that the police had no presence in the affected communities, insisting that security personnel had been operating in the area.

He appealed to members of the public to exercise patience and avoid actions or information that could compromise the ongoing operation.

He explained that the priority of the security agencies was to rescue the victims alive, stressing that the operation required careful planning because “rescue operation is delicate to save lives; we should not lose lives.”

As part of the wider clearance operation, the Niger State Government has also directed residents of some communities within the Kainji National Park axis to temporarily vacate the area to allow security forces conduct unhindered operations.

The directive underscores the seriousness of the security situation in the Borgu axis, where the vast forest terrain and proximity to the Kainji National Park have continued to present operational challenges to security agencies.

For residents who fled their homes following the attacks, the latest deployment has raised hopes that the security forces will not only rescue those taken hostage but also restore security sufficiently for displaced villagers to return to their communities.

The authorities have assured that the operation will continue until the abducted persons are located and rescued, while efforts are being intensified to clear the affected areas of criminal elements.