Fresh outrage has followed the brutal killing of traders at Kasuwan Deji Market in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, as a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, called for the immediate establishment of a military base and deployment of marine police to halt recurring terrorist attacks.
Vatsa, a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State, made the call in a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, insisting that the scale and frequency of the attacks have outgrown the capacity of the state government.
“What we are facing is beyond the state. The Federal Government must intervene decisively to protect lives and communities,” he said.
The APC stalwart lamented the persistent wave of banditry, kidnappings and mass killings in Agwara, Borgu and adjoining areas, citing the latest market massacre and earlier attacks near St. Mary’s Catholic Missionary School in Papiri as evidence of worsening insecurity.
Describing Agwara as a strategic security flashpoint, Vatsa noted that the local government sits along the River Niger, a vital corridor linking Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states.
According to him, intelligence reports show that terrorists exploit the River Niger as an escape and supply route, allowing them to strike communities, schools and travellers before vanishing beyond the reach of land-based security forces.
“The river has become a security blind spot. Attackers use it to carry out violence and retreat unhindered,” he said.
Vatsa argued that a military base, backed by marine police units, would secure the river corridor, block terrorists’ access to water routes, and provide rapid-response capacity across riverine communities.
He added that such a move would protect markets, schools, farms and transport routes, while restoring confidence among residents and traders.
Warning that the insecurity threatens not only lives but also agriculture, interstate trade, education and social cohesion, Vatsa said urgent action is needed to prevent further bloodshed.
“Securing the River Niger axis will revive economic activities and reaffirm the Federal Government’s duty to protect every Nigerian, regardless of location,” he said.
Agwara Killings: APC’s Vatsa Demands Military Base, Marine Police
