A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Jafaru Ali, has raised alarm that armed bandits operating across Niger State have converted Kainji National Park into a major operational base from which they launch coordinated attacks on several communities.

Ali, who represents Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency, delivered the warning during Wednesday’s plenary while moving a motion on the growing wave of banditry, killings and kidnappings in Niger State. According to him, the security situation in the area has deteriorated sharply and now requires urgent national intervention.

Recent Attacks Cited in Motion

While presenting the motion, the lawmaker recalled the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, where gunmen abducted 303 students, 12 teachers and a notable community figure, Sarkin Samarin Agwara. He noted that 50 of the students later escaped and have since been reunited with their families.

Ali also recounted an incident earlier on November 4, during which he and members of his entourage were ambushed by hundreds of gunmen during a condolence visit in his constituency. The attack, he said, led to several deaths and left many others injured along the Agwara to Babanna axis in Borgu Local Government.

According to him, several prominent citizens, including a former chairman of the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board and a state electoral commissioner, were kidnapped on the Mokwa to New Bussa road and remain in captivity. He added that dozens of travellers suffered similar fates on the route in recent months.

Communities in Fear

The lawmaker further told the House that on November 2, three members of a family were killed in Gidan Guga, a community between Agwara and Borgu, while their father was severely injured and is currently receiving treatment at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.

He listed several communities that had been displaced or overrun, including Boyiya and Bakin Bara, as well as Aika, Kuka, Dekara, Kerenji, Saminaka and Audu Fari. According to him, residents continue to flee as bandits expand their hold on the area.

Ali expressed concern that the attackers have now established firm control inside Kainji National Park, using the forested expanse as a base to strike communities in Niger, Kebbi and Kwara States, as well as border settlements in Benin Republic. He said many of the assailants are foreign nationals, adding that intelligence reports indicate that some migrated from Zamfara and Katsina, moving through Ibbi National Park before settling in Kainji.

Escalating Violence

The lawmaker disclosed that barely a month earlier, bandits ambushed security operatives between Babanna and Lumma and detonated explosives that killed four personnel. He added that the last two months have been marked by recurring kidnappings, killings and mass displacement across the constituency.

He also referred to a recent incident at a police station in Lumma, where a Fulani clan leader was assassinated in broad daylight after allegedly refusing to cooperate with criminal elements.

Ali warned that unless decisive action is taken, his constituency risks falling completely under the control of the armed groups.

House Issues Directives

Following the motion, the House of Representatives passed a series of resolutions. Lawmakers directed the Chief of Defense Staff to deploy military personnel equipped with modern weapons to clear the Kainji National Park area and establish Forward Operating Bases at Lumma, Audu Fari, Agwara and Mago.

The House also instructed the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to deliver food supplies and relief materials to displaced residents and families affected by the attacks.

In addition, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority was directed to work with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on converting the Kainji Park environment into a productive agricultural zone once security operations stabilize the area.

Security analysts say the escalating violence in Niger State highlights the urgent need for stronger border control and better coordination among military, police and intelligence units. Several experts interviewed on Wednesday noted that criminal groups have increasingly used forests and reserve areas as safe havens due to limited government presence.

As lawmakers await implementation of the resolutions, residents across Borgu and Agwara continue to hope for swift action to restore peace.