*Issues 2 months ultimatum for evacuation of residents
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has issued a stern two-month ultimatum to residents of hamlets surrounding Kainji Lake, ordering them to vacate the area for resettlement to avoid being caught in planned military operations to flush out terrorists hiding in the forests.
The governor made the declaration on Wednesday during a condolence visit to the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, at his palace in New Bussa, following a recent deadly terrorist attack in the emirate.
Bago vowed to take full control of the Kainji Lake forest reserves, warning that the government would “burn it down” and “smoke them out” in collaboration with federal security forces to make the area habitable again.
“We will take over the forest, burn it down, we will smoke them out and take over it until it becomes very habitable,” he stated firmly.
He stressed that the evacuation was essential to prevent “collateral damage” during the impending clearance operation, which targets criminal elements using the vast Kainji Lake National Park and surrounding forests as hideouts and camps for attacks on communities.
The governor also expressed concern over unprofiled influxes of people into the emirate, describing it as a major security risk, and criticised the role of local informants in undermining security efforts.
Bago charged the Emirate Council to collaborate actively with security agencies and all levels of government to combat insecurity.
He extended condolences to the Emir, the people of Borgu, and families of victims, praying for the repose of the deceased and comfort for the bereaved.
In response, the Emir, His Royal Highness Muhammed Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, pledged full cooperation with authorities to identify and prosecute informants, emphasising that the security of lives and property remains paramount.
He thanked Governor Bago for the visit and reaffirmed the emirate’s support for the administration’s policies aimed at improving welfare and security.
The directive comes amid escalating insecurity in Borgu and surrounding areas, where terrorists suspected to include jihadist elements linked to groups operating in forested border zones, have launched attacks on villages, markets, and communities in recent weeks, including a deadly raid on Kasuwan Daji market in early January that killed dozens.
The Kainji Lake National Park, spanning remote forested terrain across Niger and Kwara states, has increasingly been identified as a sanctuary for armed groups exploiting its isolation for regrouping, logistics, and cross-border activities.
The two-month window for evacuation and resettlement, to be overseen by the Emirate Council, aims to clear civilian populations before intensified operations begin.
No immediate details were provided on the scale of resettlement support or exact timelines for the military action.
