“They missed their road and found themselves around the Bangi and Igade axis controlled by bandits,” one of the sources whose identity has been concealed for security reasons, told our reporter.

Last Sunday, Niger State Governor Umaru Bago and his entourage missed their way during a tour and strayed into a terrorists’ enclave on the outskirts of Igade [Mashegu LGA] and Bangi [Mariga LGA] axis, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Since last week, Mr Bago and his entourage have been visiting local communities in Niger North Senatorial District to inspect ongoing projects.

The governor inspected several projects, including a five-kilometre road in Igade. Addressing locals in the town, the governor said the road would be extended to Mariga Local Government Area.

He also pledged to rehabilitate health centres in the axis to improve access to essential healthcare services.


Driving into terror enclave

Multiple sources, including those in touch with some people in the governor’s entourage, told PREMIUM TIMES that tragedy almost befell the team when they drove into the terrorists’ enclave while heading back to Kotangora.

“They missed their road and found themselves around the Bangi and Igade axis controlled by bandits,” one of the sources whose identity has been concealed for security reasons, told our reporter.

Another source with a close tie with the government said the security operatives in the convoy “observed that the area was not safe, and they immediately advised the convoy to back off.

“It was when they were trying to turn and take another route that the bandits fired at them,” the source said, adding that security operatives overpowered the terrorists.

The sources who spoke to our reporter also claimed that some of the terrorists were killed as others retreated into the forest.

Bangi and Igade axes have witnessed several terror attacks. In October, terrorists killed three locals on the Bangi-Kontonkkoro road. The victims, according to a Facebook post, were heading to the market.

That same month, a mobile police officer attached to the Police Divisional Headquarters was killed in a gunfight with the terrorists, Abbas Adamu, chairman of Mariga LGA, disclosed in a statement. He lamented that local terrorists known as bandits had infiltrated some wards — Gulbin Boka, Bangi, Kotonkoro, Igwama, Galma Wamba and Maburya — in the LGA.

In November, terrorists killed seven farmers and burnt 50 bags of maize in Bangi.


Niger govt denies incident

Prestige FM first reported the incident in Minna on 3 December. A few hours after Mustapha Bina, a freelance journalist with the radio station, aired the report, operatives of State Security Services (SSS) raided the station’s premises in search of Mr Bina.

But they did not find him. The secret police later invited the journalist for questioning.

“I went to the SSS office around eight in the morning,” Mr Bina told PREMIUM TIMES by phone, adding the operatives grilled him for several hours until around 2 p.m.

Mr Bani said he might have been detained if not for the intervention of his colleagues at the correspondents chapel and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The journalist said the security operatives wanted him to disclose his sources, but he declined, describing his experience as demoralising.

However, the Niger State government debunked the news, describing it as fake.

“The convoy of the farmer Governor has been having a smooth tour of ongoing projects across the Niger North Senatorial District since last week,” the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibrahim Bologi, said in a statement posted on social media.

Mr Bologi said, “The governor’s tour has been peaceful with no incident of any attack or threat to his safety or that of his team…”

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/759711-how-niger-governor-entourage-missed-way-strayed-into-terrorists-enclave.html

Let them spend some time with their abductors

After all, if the governor had done something meaningful to stop the insecurity in his state, he won't be a victim

Just maybe if a high value target like the governor is kidnapped then the government will finally have the political will to deal with insecurity.

If terrorism lasts more than 24 hours, some people in government benefit from it.
Gen. Abacha.

Ok

Eyah doooh

What!

Inukwa ooooo

Na him boys

Oh my Bago, no miss road again you hear. Why better person go dey miss road for him own state wey e dey govern? Na rubbish governor we say make e miss road, no be you jorr. Make dem miss road, make we hear how much be ransom.

Why did they change the name to bandits? We all know them by the name "islamic sect". They are islamic sect terrorising Nigeria. During the GEJ, he dealt with them through Ihejirika and that's why they fought with their last breath to remove him from power. See what is happening now.
E no go better for Northerners

Islamic sect not bandits

He will learn

buckeyemedia:
Very bitter soul, no pity for u Eyepobians.

Nnamdi Kanu, & Simon Ekpa were a 1000 times worse in their pride, where are they today with their hatred?

That boy has given up about making any sensible comments again on this forum apart from emotional ranting

Nonexisting1:
If terrorism lasts more than 24 hours, some people in government benefit from it.
Gen. Abacha.

Still quoting a statement made in 1996 by a military dictator, is what u are making reference to?

Over population is your problem in that country, citizens just dey born like rabbit.

Almijiris full everywhere, with no future.

Miss road?

You sure say no be courtesy visit.

Chai

Lol, of course they'll deny it, as long as it make them look bad they'll deny it, govt of weaklings and thieves who lack credibility even in the smallest form, something wey common man dey experience everyday you won't see headlines, since it's a governor now it's as if it's something new, isn't it awesome he had a taste of his own medicine for once? Atleast he will know how his incompetence is affecting people, Nigeria is gone, otherwise those islamists abi extremists I don't know what to call them won't be roaming free in our own country, imagine intruders coming to your home and making you feel unsafe in your own house, it's the height of lawlessness na, make all of us own guns they no gree, they go shock how many people I go shoot in a week.

helinues:
Let them spend some time with their abductors

After all, if the governor had done something meaningful to stop the insecurity in his state, he won't be a victim

Please kindly suggest some of the meaningful somethings you would have done as governor to stop insecurity owing to terrorists in your state. Just want to be educated, nothing more attached.

You claim to be a governor, and have no control over terrorism and crime in your state...!

Nigerians and their Leaders sha.

These ones will still win landslide when they contest for second term.

Wow..chief of Defense stafff , Chief of army staff and others entrusted with riding of Nigeria of bandits do not care about that but are more interested in the kind of parties and nightclubs, Simon Ekpa attended in Finland…smh

symbianDON:
Please kindly suggest some of the meaningful somethings you would have done as governor to stop insecurity owing to terrorists in your state. Just want to be educated, nothing more attached.

In Kalu's voice, as a governor, if there are criminal elements operating freely in your state, you as a state governor want it that way not that you don't know what to do

A sovereign nation has areas controlled by bandits
Shame

Terrorists shouldn't have any territory in Nigeria. This has to stop. We can't make any meaningful progress with these terrorists operating in Nigeria.

Frigga13:
This Yoruba beings are funny… people will be in their iseyin Abi ifo.. caves and be typing out trash..
Why blame governor of terrorist that has infiltrated his state while the Yoruba government of Tinubu watch helplessly..

Same people will close their eyes to kidnappings and herdsmen walahi in their Yoruba region and blame the federal government.. like they did alll through buhari.. even same Tinubu stylishly blame Igbos ..

APC is evil and the government of Tinubu is a joke on security matters ..

They prefer to let the sleeping dog lie.. all for politics.. same people that brought this terrorist to find a GEJ government .. should he fail to handover 15”

From Niger to zamfara kastina to sokoto maidugiri down to southwest .. same story.. daily. Wing covered by propaganda and distractions

Yoruba government of Tinubu has never taken responsibility for this.. rather the shift blames to locals and regions

God help Nigerians

You're at the last symptoms of your madness. Is no more zoo? Igbo and their funny tactics

Haaaa

Just imagine how God and the angels in heaven willing be looking at this country called Nigeria