At least 5,000 Nigerians have moved to Niger Republic for safety, says Ibrahim Gobir, senator representing Sokoto east.
The lawmaker made the disclosure while speaking during the plenary session on Tuesday.
Following a motion raised by Sabi Abdullahi, the senator representing Niger north, on the need to enhance security operations in Niger state, Gobir described the situation in Sokoto state as “pathetic.”
The senator said while the Nigerien army was protecting Nigerians and its citizens from banditry and other criminal activities, Nigeria’s military “looks the other way round.”
“The situation in Sokoto east as far as armed banditry is concerned is pathetic and tragic because it is only the Nigerien army that has been coming to their rescue while the Nigerian Army looks the other way round,” he said.
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“Based on very reliable and verifiable information from the area, many a time, the people of the affected areas called on Nigerian army for help and protection against the bandits but no response.
“The Nigerien army has been assisting in wading off the bandits, the very reason why not less than 5,000 people in the affected areas have migrated to Niger Republic for safety.”
The lawmaker noted that the affected people only get help from Niger Republic and not from Nigeria “be it from the military or the police.”
