Niger State House of Assembly has expressed concern over the occupation of military training camps in Kontagora local council of Niger state by armed bandits.

The lawmakers disclosed that the activities of the bandits have chased out 23 communities living around the camp.

The training camp is situated at Nagwamase military cantonment in Kontagora local council headquarters.

The military cantonment of Kontagora hosts the largest military training camp in Nigeria, where personnel of the artillery corps of the Nigerian Army undergo training.

The Assembly, however, stated that the training camp had been taken over by bandits.

The Assembly advised the state government to liaise with the military authority to flush out the bandits from the training camp.

In a motion of urgent public importance, the member representing Kontagora 11 constituency at the Assembly, Abdullahi Isah, during a plenary on Tuesday, 29 October 2024, said the military camp, which occupied large pieces of land extending from Kontagora local council to part of Mariga local council, is now being occupied by the gunmen.

Isah intimated his colleagues that the occupation of the training camp by the bandits has forced 23 farming communities to relocate due to the frequent attacks by the gunmen.

“This military camp is now known to have been taken over by bandits, who are said to have established at least eight different camps in the area. The presence of the bandits on this training camp, which now serves as their safe haven, has posed a serious security threat to communities within the camp, both in Kontagora and Mariga local Councils.”

The lawmaker explained that in the last month, communities within the training camp were under intense attacks from the bandits who operate with impunity, adding that some members of the communities that were abducted during the recent operation were still being held by the gunmen.

After deliberation, the House urged the state government to liaise with the military authority to intensify efforts towards flushing out the bandits from the training camp, saying that this would allow the host communities to return to their homes.