20 Schools, 23 Markets Closed in Benue over Militia Attacks, Says Katsina-Ala LG Chair

*Bandits take over military training camp in Niger, sacks 23 communities

*Amotekun apprehends 27 suspected criminals in Ondo 

George Okoh in Makurdi, Laleye Dipo In Minna and Fidelis David in Akure

The Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, Orangoholga Shaku, has claimed that the continuous activities of criminal elements within the council has left many schools, markets and primary health clinics closed for more than one year.

Shaku, who said this yesterday while decrying the state of the council, explained that, “Over 20 schools, 23 markets and 13 primary health clinics remain shut, following the continuous activities of criminal elements in the local government.

“A total of eight council wards are badly affected too. Insecurity in the area has been challenging. Agriculture, which is the major source of our livelihood, is greatly affected because of so many challenges at the moment.”

He, however, said his administration would focus on rebuilding, rehabilitating and resuscitating all the broken economic sectors within the council.

He disclosed that he would focus on health, education, roads, agriculture and security, to boost the council’s economy, “and to ensure that the schools are back to life.”

Shaku, who said the council secretariat was an eyesore, added that, “it requires total rebuilding.”

 Meanwhile, the Niger State House of Assembly, has claimed that the military training camp  in Kontagora,  Niger State, has been sacked by bandits just as 23 communities within the  camp had also been sent packing.

The issue came about under a motion of public importance brought before the assembly by the member representing Kontagora 11 constituency, Alhaji Abdullahi Isah.

Isah said the sacked military training camp spanned from Kontagora local government area to parts of Mariga local government area.
He further asserted that following the occupation of the training camp by the bandits, the 23 farming communities within the camp had to forcefully relocate to undisclosed locations.

He claimed that in the last one month, the  communities within the training camp had come under intense attacks from the bandits who “operated with impunity” adding that some members of the communities that were abducted during the recent operation were still being held by the gunmen.

In a related development, the Ondo State Security Network Agency codename Amotekun, has paraded 27 suspected criminals arrested across the 18 local government areas of the state within two weeks.

The state Commander of the corps, Adetunji Adeleye, said aside the two cases of kidnapping recorded, the corps recorded more cases of house breaking during the period under review.

“Today, we have a total of 27 suspects on parade. On Anti-grazing/farmers’ clashes, just five cases were recorded and all the five, we were able to resolve them amicably.

“What I mean by that is, the headers volunteered to pay for the cost of what they destroyed and equally paid the fine of government for the infringement.”