In the aftermath of a fatal clash between Nigerian Army forces and over a hundred suspected bandits on the Zungeru-Tegina route, the Niger State House of Assembly has demanded the construction of additional military camps in susceptible areas around the state.
Although one soldier was killed and three others were injured during the fire battle, the Assembly praised the military for repelling the attackers and averted what members characterised as a potential massacre of innocent citizens in Rafi Local Government Area.
On Tuesday, at plenary, the member from Rafi State Constituency, Hon. Zubairu Ismail Zanna, moved a motion of commendation, and the resolution followed.
Zanna lauded the soldiers’ professionalism, gallantry, and bravery, saying that the armed men could have overwhelmed the impacted towns if the forces hadn’t reacted so quickly.
He recalled that over a hundred suspected bandits had attacked towns along the Zungeru-Tegina road approximately two weeks ago, but that military had repelled their assault.
Tragically, one soldier lost his life and three others were wounded due to bullet wounds. The confrontation also resulted in the neutralisation of multiple robbers and the recovery of motorcycles.
Zanna praised the military’s action but called on the Nigerian Army and other security forces to maintain operations and bolster their presence in areas that are targeted by repeated attacks.
According to him, if the military were more present, response times, monitoring, and the ability of armed groups to use isolated towns as bases of operations would all be significantly improved.
Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the House and the man presiding over the plenary, observed a minute of quiet in memory of the soldier who lost his life and offered prayers for the healing of the wounded soldiers.