In multiple communities across Shiroro Local Government Area, fear has gripped residents following alarming reports of abductions and violent attacks by armed groups. Authorities confirmed that up to ten individuals were reportedly taken from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages, prompting urgent interventions from the Niger State Police and other security agencies.
While the exact circumstances of the attacks remain under investigation, eyewitness accounts describe a night of chaos on November 26, 2025, when suspected gunmen moved swiftly through the villages. Efforts to rescue the victims are ongoing, with law enforcement units combing surrounding areas and coordinating intelligence with local informants.
Elsewhere in Erena Ward, troubling incidents were reported earlier the same day. Bandits reportedly attacked a rice farm in Palaita community, allegedly abducting as many as 24 residents, including pregnant women. In a separate attack in Kakuru, a visually impaired man was brutally assaulted, losing his right hand after bandits seized his mobile phone. The victim is now receiving medical attention at a local patent medicine facility in Kuduru.
This surge in violent activity comes on the heels of a massive kidnapping at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area, less than a week ago, where over 300 students and 12 teachers were abducted. Analysts fear that these repeated attacks could signal a growing emboldenment among criminal gangs, exploiting gaps in rural security.
Authorities have called for calm while urging residents to provide any credible information to law enforcement to aid in the swift recovery of victims. Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command continues to intensify patrols and strategic operations aimed at dismantling bandit hideouts and securing vulnerable communities.
The spate of attacks has once again highlighted the urgent need for a more robust, coordinated approach to tackling banditry across Niger State, especially in remote and isolated settlements where such criminal activities have become increasingly frequent.
