Kebbi Under Siege—Governor Begs FG for Military Base to Tackle Deadly Bandits

By Achimi Muktar

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has issued an urgent plea to the federal government to establish a military base in Arewa Local Government Area (LGA), following a deadly attack by Lakurawa bandits that left 11 people dead and several villages burned to the ground.

The governor made the appeal on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, after visiting an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Kangiwa, where survivors of the attack are currently taking shelter.

A Devastating Attack

The brutal assault, carried out on Sunday, March 9, saw suspected Lakurawa bandits storming seven villages—Dogon Daji, Danmarke, Yar Goru, Tambo, Birnin Debi, Garin Nagoro, and Garin Rugga—killing residents and setting homes ablaze.

"We Need Military Presence Now!"—Governor Idris

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives, Governor Idris stressed that a permanent military base in Arewa LGA would significantly improve response times to distress calls and prevent further bloodshed.

“This is an urgent matter of security and survival,” Idris stated. “We need the federal government’s intervention to establish a military presence in Arewa to stop these senseless killings.”

Government’s Response to the Crisis

The governor assured displaced residents that their stay in IDP camps would be temporary, promising immediate assistance to rebuild their homes. He also ordered the local government to ensure a steady supply of food for the displaced families, including the slaughtering of a cow every four days to feed them.

A Long-Standing Crisis

The Lakurawa bandits have terrorized communities across Kebbi and neighboring states, carrying out kidnappings, killings, and mass displacement. Residents fear that without strong military intervention, the violence will continue unchecked.

Will the federal government heed Idris’ call and deploy troops to safeguard Arewa’s residents? The coming days will reveal whether relief is on the way—or if terror will persist.