Bandits have taking over 12 local government areas in Niger, and no fewer than seven communities are submerged by flooding in Shiroro LGA due to the ongoing construction of the Zungeru hydro electric power station in the state.

The state governor Abubakar Sani-Bello said this during his visit to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), at the Central Primary School, Gwada.

Sympathising with the displaced persons, Mr Sani-Bello said “We have almost 4,000 IDPs displaced by banditry and the construction of Zungeru dam.”

According to him, “some communities have been flooded and are under water and have left, while they have not not been paid compensation.

Concerned about “the influx of bandits and Boko Haram elements in and out of Shiroro Local Government,” the governor said “They have continued to detonate improvised explosive devices in Galadima-kogo.”

Mr Sani-Bello noted that about twelve local government areas in the state were being occupied by bandits, adding that, security agencies were using new tactics and strategies to neutralise them.

He said the bandits are taking advantage of the size of the state and few security officers on ground.

On the flooding, Mr Sani-Bello said the federal government had made provisions for the affected communities to move to higher grounds.

He said he would liaise with the federal ministry of works to hasten the release of funds for those affected to relocate as well as payment of compensation.

The governor also visited Mararaban Dan-danu in Munya LGA, where he interacted with vigilante groups and hunters and promised them more sophisticated weapons to combat banditry.

(NAN)