Niger Assembly seeks more army bases after Rafi attack killed one soldier
- Niger State House of Assembly has praised troops for repelling an attack by suspected bandits in Rafi LGA.
- One soldier died of gunshot wounds and three were injured; several attackers were killed, lawmakers were told.
- The House wants the state and federal governments to set up more military bases in vulnerable communities.
The Niger State House of Assembly has commended Nigerian Army troops for repelling an attack by suspected bandits on communities in Rafi Local Government Area, an encounter in which one soldier was killed and three others injured.
The lawmakers adopted a motion of commendation at plenary on Tuesday, moved by the member representing Rafi State Constituency, Zubairu Ismail Zanna. They also called for more military bases in communities exposed to attacks.
According to the account presented to the House, more than 100 suspected bandits invaded communities along the Zungeru–Tegina road about two weeks ago. Soldiers confronted them in a fierce gun battle, killed several of the attackers and recovered motorcycles, the lawmakers were told.
One soldier later died from gunshot injuries, while three others were injured. The Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, who presided, called for a minute of silence in honour of the fallen soldier and prayers for the injured.
Why lawmakers want permanent bases
Zanna said the troops' intervention prevented what could have been a massacre of villagers. But he warned that without permanent security formations nearby, bandits pushed out of the area could regroup and strike again.
He pointed to difficult terrain, large forests and poorly secured rural routes in Rafi and other parts of the state, which he said give criminal groups room to hide, set up camps and launch attacks.
“The absence of military bases in these areas and strategically positioned security formations along identified vulnerable corridors may limit the ability of security personnel to respond swiftly to distress calls,” he said.
The lawmaker asked the Niger State Government to urgently engage the Federal Government and military authorities on setting up additional Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) at strategic points in Rafi and neighbouring communities.
He said the communities along the Zungeru–Tegina road are economically important, and that a stronger military presence would speed up response to distress calls, improve intelligence gathering and protect residents, trade and travel.
He also called for closer collaboration between the military, the police, other security agencies and local communities so that bandits do not return to areas recently cleared by troops.
What happens next
The Assembly has adopted the motion, but the decision on new bases rests with the state government, the Federal Government and military authorities, which the lawmakers have now urged to act.
Rafi remains one of the areas of Niger State hit by banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities. Earlier this month, troops of the Army's 18 Brigade, under Operation Savannah Shield, reportedly rescued 84 residents held by suspected terrorists along the Tegina–Garin Gabas–Zungeru road. A soldier also died from gunshot injuries in that operation, which was reported on October 8.
