BABANNA, Nigeria — Residents of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State erupted in celebration Sunday after a Joint Security Taskforce led by the Nigerian military reportedly killed more than 200 terrorists in Babanna, a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
The operation, codenamed Operation Savanna Shield, began Tuesday last week when troops of the 22 Armoured Brigade launched a coordinated offensive against armed groups that had terrorized the area for more than a year. Local sources said the five‑day offensive climaxed on May 31, when troops dealt a decisive blow to the militants, recovering hundreds of weapons and more than 300 motorcycles allegedly used by the terrorists.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with Benin Republic security agents and local vigilantes. While the vigilante commander known as Bature OC was killed, military sources reported no casualties among Nigerian troops.
Residents poured into the streets to cheer soldiers and vigilantes, describing the victory as a long‑awaited relief. “For the past year now, we cannot go to the farm; we can’t access our market, and nobody travels free in this entire area for fear of being abducted or even killed. They have made life very miserable for our people,” said Alhaji Mohammed Usman, a Babanna resident.
Community leaders had repeatedly appealed to the federal government for stronger security presence in Borgu and Agwara local government areas, where bandits had forced farmers off their land, shut down markets, and attacked schools and police facilities. The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, earlier described the situation as dire, saying many residents lived “like refugees in their own communities.”
The abduction of students from Papiri Missionary School in Agwara last November had further heightened fears, underscoring the urgency of military intervention.
With the latest offensive, residents say they hope peace will return to the region. “The people of Agwara deserve to live without fear; our children deserve a secure future, our people need to farm their lands and sleep peacefully in their homes,” Rev. Yohanna said.
