Borgu Leaders Call on Federal Government to Tackle Rising Insecurity in the Area.
Community leaders in Borgu Kingdom have urged the federal government to quickly address the increasing insecurity in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas of Niger State.
The appeal was made during a press conference in Suleja by Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and chair of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State, accompanied by other prominent community leaders of Borgu emirate.
Yohanna described the security situation as serious, citing repeated attacks on residents, schools, and police facilities. He stressed that many children are unable to attend school safely and that farmers are abandoning their land.
“The people of Agwara deserve a life free from fear. Our children deserve a secure future. Our communities need to farm their lands and sleep peacefully at night,” he said.
The Bishop also called on security forces to boost their presence in Agwara, especially in Papiri town, where St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools serve over 50 communities.” He also suggested establishing a permanent military base to provide ongoing security.
“The time to act is now, before more lives are lost and our communities lose faith in the government’s ability to protect them,” Bishop Yohanna concluded.
In his comments, Dr. Murtala Haliru Dantoro, brother of the current Emir of Borgu, Alh. Mohammed Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, called the attacks a humanitarian crisis threatening lives and livelihoods.
“The Borgu Kingdom is suffering. Families are being torn apart, and livelihoods are being decimated. Once the breadbasket of the Northwest, our farmers might soon rely on government aid if this situation continues.
We urge the President and the Jagaban Borgu to approve emergency funding to empower security forces to tackle these security challenges,” he said.
