Niger: Save Our Husbands From Terrorists, Policemen Wives Tell IGP

By James Orji

Wives of policemen serving in Niger state, North Central Nigeria  have cried out to the federal government  not to allow their husbands to be killed in the state which has now become the epicentre of deadly attacks by bandits.

Under the aegis of Wives of MOPOL 22 Offices, the News Agency of Nigeria,  NAN reports tbat  the angry women have called on the Nigeria Police  Force,  NPF to recall their husbands with immediate effect, having served in the state for almost a year.

Two weeks ago, dozens of people were killed, with many houses burnt after the terrorists attacked Galadima-Kogo and Galkogo communities of Shiroro Local Council. Armed men were said to have launched the attacks after overpowering security operatives.

The criminals had ealier killed 18 persons, injured 40 and abducted many others after they invaded the same Galadima-Kogo community.

The govrnor of the state has claimed that many local governments are under the control of the bandits recently designated as terrorists by the federal government.

The news agency reported that the women protested for several hours at the Lagos police command in Ikeja,  carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘CP Lagos state, please look into our matter to call MOPOL 22 commander to order’; ‘CP, please release our husbands from Niger state after one year of special duty’;  and ‘MOPOL 22 commander, bring our fathers’.

Speaking on behalf of the women, Blessing Babagbemi, identified as the wife of one of the officers, said they have been struggling to survive since their husbands were posted to Niger state.

“Such posting is usually for three months and at most four months. One of the 31 MOPOL sent to Beri has been killed and one other injured, when bandits numbering about 900 stormed Beri village with motorbikes, armed with sophisticated and superior weapons.

“The first attack was on May 31, 2021 and the second attack was on January 16, 2022. After the first attack, our husbands saved money and bought things but the bandits came back again and took everything away.

“Our children are missing their fathers, and besides we are humans. We need our husbands back home. We expected that our husbands would be back in December but we did not see them.

“Last three weeks, we went to Oduduwa in Ikeja to see Bright Ibiye, MOPOL 22 commander, but we did not see him. They called the provost out for us. We told him we are wives of policemen sent on special duty. We told him we want our husbands to be released”.

The women said the previous call on police authority had  not been heeded.

“The provost promised that our husbands will be back latest January ending or first week of February. The assurance gave us peace of mind. We left but on our way home, the provost said the commander wants to see us.

“We saw the commander and he promised that he was going to Abuja right away and will table our case and use our video clips he recorded as evidence. ”

The commander then gave us two bags of rice and N10,000 which we shared. But up till now, we have not heard anything from them. Hence, we are here to protest at the police command due to lack of feedback,” the angry women said.

SBM Intelligence, a research based body recently claimed that between 2019 and 2021, a total of 337 soldiers, 29 poplicemen and civilian JTF members were killed in in ambushes in the north east and north west by terrorists.