Niger State Governor urged to Lobby the Federal Government for the Establishment of a Military Base in Agwara Communities.
YAKUBU MUSTAPHA BINA
Following the recent incidents of violent attacks, kidnapping, and the well-planned abduction of pupils and teachers of Saint Mary’s Private Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, there have been growing calls for decisive government action. These incidents include the gruesome killing of 42 persons, who were slaughtered in cold blood at Kasuwan-Daji. Parents, victims, community leaders, prominent citizens within and outside the affected areas, as well as international organisations, have continued to emphasise the urgent need for the establishment of a military base to beef up security in Agwara Local Government and its environs.
In view of these developments, Saint Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, urgently require comprehensive security support—not only from the Niger State Government but, more importantly, from the Federal Government, if there is any realistic hope of reopening the schools. Since the abduction of the pupils, a Mobile Police unit of about 40 personnel has been deployed to guard the community and the school.
However, this measure remains inadequate. What is required is not mere rhetoric, but a decisive shift in strategy capable of producing sustainable security outcomes across the entire Zone C Senatorial District of Niger State.
Despite the presence of security operatives, residents of Papiri and neighbouring communities such as Guffanti, Sokonbara, and Bako-Mission are fleeing their homes daily due to fear of further attacks, particularly after the Kasuwan-Daji massacre.
This mass displacement underscores the urgent need for a permanent military and police base in the area, one that is sufficiently equipped and staffed to defend lives and property, protect pupils, teachers, and villagers, and, when necessary, proactively confront criminal elements. Expecting about 40 Mobile Police officers to repel attacks from heavily armed bandits, often numbering more than twice their strength, is both unfair and unrealistic.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) affirms that every child, regardless of location or circumstance, has the right to quality education. However, the situation in northern Nigeria remains dire, with a net school attendance rate of just 53 percent. UNICEF reports that about 10.5 million Nigerian children aged 5–14 are out of school, with only 61 percent of children aged 6–11 attending primary school regularly and just 35.6 percent of children aged 36–59 months receiving early childhood education. Insecurity further compounds this already alarming situation.
The Niger State Government’s recent directive that schools under threat of terrorist attacks should remain closed has intensified fears that Saint Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, the only quality educational institution in the area—may face permanent closure. This is largely due to the absence of a sufficiently strong security presence capable of defending both the community and the school.
Investigations reveal that there is currently no military base covering the entire Agwara Local Government Area and much of Borgu Local Government north of the Kainji Game Reserve. The police formations in the area are poorly equipped, understaffed, and lack operational vehicles, adequate firearms, and effective inter-agency coordination to confront the escalating insecurity.
The Proprietor of the school and Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, commended the Federal and State Governments, security agencies, and the media for their efforts in securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers. He appealed for the speedy reopening of the Papiri schools, adequately protected by a well-equipped and sufficiently staffed security force capable of deterring and repelling future attacks.
Bishop Yohanna, who is also the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, further made a passionate appeal for the establishment of a military outpost in Agwara and the empowerment of security agencies to maintain a permanent presence in the area.
Similarly, on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, called for stronger protection of civilian spaces and schools following the spate of attacks in Niger State.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, also urged the immediate establishment of a military base and the deployment of Marine Police to Agwara Local Government. He expressed concern that the River Niger has increasingly become a security blind spot, enabling armed groups to evade land-based security operations.
Reacting to the directive to close schools, the Principal of Saint Mary’s Catholic School, Reverend Sister Felicia Gyang, appealed to the Federal and State Governments and security agencies to prioritise security in Agwara Local Government to ensure that children are not denied education and that the lives of teachers, parents, and residents are safeguarded.
One of the affected parents, Mr. Markus Abuka, whose only child was abducted and later rescued, said that although the ordeal devastated parents, they found hope through prayers and trust in the assurances given by the Federal Government through the National Security Adviser.
Some of the students, including Florence Michael and Felicia Musa, while recounting their traumatic experiences, appealed to the government to strengthen security so they could continue their education, warning that without schooling they would be forced back into farming and denied basic education.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Federal and Niger State Governments and the security agencies, it is important to note that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promptly condemned the Kasuwan-Daji killings and directed top security officials to apprehend the perpetrators and rescue abducted victims. However, concerns remain over delays in the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the market massacre.
During a visit to Kontagora, a Federal Government delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, reassured parents and authorities of Saint Mary’s Catholic School that the abducted children and teachers were safe, while also expressing concern over the broader insecurity facing the country.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, during his visit to Niger State, pledged additional resources for training the Nigerian Army to curb insecurity in the state.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago also condemned the attacks, describing them as disturbing and unfortunate. However, expressions of concern must translate into concrete and sustained action, particularly at the grassroots level.
This moment presents an opportunity for Governor Bago to leverage his close relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lobby for the establishment of a military base in Agwara. Such action would demonstrate genuine commitment to securing lives and property, restoring confidence, reopening schools, revitalising economic activities, and returning peace and stability to the area.
The abduction of over 230 pupils of Saint Mary’s Catholic School, the killing of 42 persons in Kasuwan-Daji, and the murder of an 85-year-old woman, Hajiya Amina Adamu, in Kabe village, have left many communities deserted due to persistent insecurity. These incidents, including many unreported attacks, underscore the urgent need for collective action. Remember that the major essence of government is to ensure security of lives and welfare for the citizens and anything contrary is assumes to be a failure on the part of governance.
Therefore, the establishment of a military base in Agwara and surrounding communities is no longer optional; it is imperative. The Federal and State Governments must heed the cries of the people and act decisively to secure lives, protect education, restore livelihoods, and foster lasting peace and development in Niger State.
This commentary was written by Yakubu Mustapha Bina of the News and Current Affairs Department, Prestige FM, Minna, on the need for the Niger State Governor to lobby the Federal Government for the establishment of a military base to beef up security in Agwara communities and environs ravaged by insecurity.
