Armed bandits have displaced hundreds of residents of Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

This happened after all officials of the Nigerian Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as the Civilian Joint Task Force disappeared from the Lakpma axis, following the killing of six security operatives in the area by bandits.

FIJ had reported how Muhammad Yerima, spokesman of the Nigerian Army, feigned ignorance of the soldiers withdrawal from the area, only for a Niger based newspaper to quote the state government as describing the withdrawal as necessary for the operatives to re-strategize.

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Following the withdrawal of the security operatives from the area, residents said the community is now porous as bandits raid and loot their valuables with ease.

Overnight around 2am on Sunday, the bandits announced their presence and rustled all cows, sheep and other valuables in the community. Following the attack, hundreds of residents of the community fled for their lives and are now taking refuge in Pandogari Village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

“The whole of the entire Allawa community now is in Pandogari,” Jibrin Allawa, a youth leader in the community told FIJ. “The place is now porous since the exit of security operatives. Everybody has left the place; only a few are there and some of them have been kidnapped.”