Suspected Explosive Device Found in Niger Community as Security Agencies Step Up Response
Residents of Ganaru community in Zugurma District of Mashegu Local Government Area, Niger State, were thrown into panic on Tuesday after a suspected explosive device was discovered along a roadside frequently used by farmers.
The device was uncovered early in the day by local farmers heading to their farmlands.
According to community sources, the farmers immediately raised the alarm on sighting the object, prompting swift efforts to alert authorities and prevent people from approaching the area.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Mashegu Local Government Area, Jibrin Egade, said the location had been cordoned off to forestall any possible explosion that could result in casualties.
He described the development as shocking, noting that Ganaru community had not previously experienced serious security threats.
Egade added that relevant security agencies had been notified to take over the situation and ensure public safety, stressing that the discovery caused widespread fear among residents.
The Niger State Police Command also confirmed the incident. Commissioner of Police, Adamu Elleman, disclosed that bomb disposal experts had been deployed to the scene to examine and safely handle the device.
He clarified that preliminary assessment by the police indicated the presence of one explosive device, contrary to claims by some villagers that three were found.
Elleman urged residents to remain calm and continue their lawful activities, assuring them that trained personnel were on ground to professionally evacuate or detonate the device as necessary.
The discovery comes amid heightened security concerns in parts of Niger State, following the killing of 42 persons in a terrorist attack in Borgu Local Government Area barely two days earlier.
Meanwhile, growing insecurity across riverine communities has renewed calls for stronger federal intervention.
Former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has urged the Federal Government to establish a military base and deploy marine police units to Agwara Local Government Area.
Vatsa said the scale and persistence of attacks in Niger State and neighbouring states had surpassed the capacity of the state government, necessitating decisive federal action.
He referenced repeated incidents of banditry, kidnapping and violent assaults, including attacks linked to St. Mary’s Catholic Missionary School in Papiri community.
Highlighting Agwara’s strategic location along the River Niger, Vatsa noted that the area serves as a corridor connecting Niger, Kwara and Kebbi states. He argued that criminal groups frequently exploit the river as an escape and transit route after carrying out attacks.
According to him, the River Niger has increasingly become a security gap, allowing armed groups to evade land-based operations, a weakness he said was evident during recent attacks in riverine communities.
Vatsa maintained that the establishment of a military base would help secure the river corridor, deny criminals access to water routes used for logistics and escape, and enable rapid response to security incidents across affected states.
He added that such measures would also protect schools, markets, farming settlements and transport routes.
He warned that continued insecurity along the River Niger threatens lives, agriculture, education, interstate trade and national unity, stressing that improved security would restore confidence, boost economic activity and reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting citizens across all regions.
