Suspected bandits have launched another deadly attack in Niger State, killing an elderly woman, abducting five residents and razing a church and police station ablaze in Agwara Local Government Area.
The assailants reportedly stormed Agwara community, setting ablaze the United Missionary Church of Africa (UMCA) before overpowering security operatives and torching the local police station. The attackers later moved to Sokonba, a neighbouring village bordering Kabe, where they looted foodstuffs and valuables before killing a woman and kidnapping five people.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said the bandits engaged officers on duty before resorting to explosives.
“On the 1st of this month, armed bandits invaded the Agwara community and attacked the police station, where they were engaged by the tactical team on the ground,” Abiodun said.
“The attackers later overpowered the team and used suspected dynamite to set the station on fire. The bandits subsequently moved to the UMC church in the community, burnt part of the building, proceeded to other areas and abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be ascertained. Monitoring continues.”
Residents described the attack as part of a growing pattern of violence that has plunged once-peaceful communities into fear.
Speaking regarding the incident, Murtala Dantoro, son of the late Emir, lamented the worsening insecurity and appealed for urgent government intervention.
“Innocent lives are being lost, farmers are abandoning their farmlands, economic activities have collapsed, and families are forced to flee their homes in search of safety,” Dantoro said.
“These attacks are not isolated incidents; they are persistent and escalating. The absence of a permanent and well-equipped military formation in Agwara has left the people vulnerable and exposed.
“The state and federal governments must come to our aid urgently before these suspected bandits chase us out of our homeland.”
He added that the security vacuum had emboldened criminals, who now operate with little resistance, worsening the humanitarian and economic situation in the area.
Also reacting, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, urged the Federal Government and security agencies to establish a permanent military base in Agwara.
“This is not a luxury; it is a necessity. A visible and stationed military presence will deter criminal activities, restore confidence among residents, enable displaced persons to return home, and allow farmers to safely return to their farms,” the bishop said.
“Enough is enough. The people of Agwara deserve peace, protection and the right to live without fear. Security is the foundation of development, and without it, no meaningful progress can be achieved.
“Agwara deserves peace and development. The time to act is now. These suspected bandits now move freely without challenge. Presently, the rule of law no longer functions effectively in Borgu and its surrounding axis.”
Yohanna further warned that armed groups were gradually turning the Borgu Emirate into what he described as a “terrorist enclave,” forcing residents to flee and coercing others into becoming informants.
Agwara, a strategic part of Niger State, has suffered repeated attacks in recent months. Residents say continued neglect of the area poses serious risks not only to locals but also to neighbouring communities.
Niger State has been battling a surge in banditry and violent attacks. Last year, over 300 students and 12 teachers were abducted from St Mary’s School in Papiri. heavily armed bandits riding motorcycles killed 42 men, abducted women and children in Kasuwan Daji village in Agwara LGA, while also burning homes and a market.
The latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges confronting the north-central state.
