Terrorists move into homes of displaced residents in Niger, plant crops on their farms

Terrorists in Niger State have reportedly moved into the homes deserted by their victims when soldiers withdrew from the Allawa Community in Shiroro Local Government Area five months ago.

The bandits and terrorists have also reportedly started farming on the displaced residents’farms.

One of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Erena told Daily Trust that some people were sent home on Friday to check if their community had become safe for them to return and plant some crops, before the rainy season ends but they met terrorists occupying their homes and growing crops on their farmlands.

He said the terrorists also used the fertilizers they bought before fleeing homes on their crops, destroyed and burnt down some houses.

“We went to check our homes to know if our communities were safe for return, but surprisingly, the terrorists are presently occupying Allawa. We saw them; they have cultivated most of our farmlands. They have used the fertilizers we acquired for this farming season before we were displaced in April.

“They have destroyed some of our houses and they have occupied the remaining ones. Our house was among those they destroyed. It is traumatic”, he said.

Daily Trust reported how hundreds of residents of Allawa Community fled on April 25, 2024, after the soldiers stationed in the community were withdrawn.

Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (retd), while confirming the withdrawal to Daily Trust in April, had said the decision was administrative by the military authorities to re-strategise on how to defeat terrorists in the area.

“The whole thing is about administrative arrangements by the military to re-strategise to return in full strength”, Mohammed said in a text message he sent to the newspaper.