Fear and terror gripped Palaita and Kakuru communities in Erena Ward, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State, on Wednesday as armed bandits launched brazen attacks on residents.
In Palaita, chaos erupted around 2:00 p.m. when bandits stormed a rice farm, abducting 24 villagers, including pregnant women, as they worked under the scorching sun. Villagers said the attackers moved with alarming speed, vanishing into the bush before soldiers from a nearby military camp, just five kilometers away, could intervene. “They came out of nowhere,” a distraught local recounted. “By the time anyone realized what was happening, they were already gone with our people.”
Earlier, in Kakuru community, a blind man became the target of another ruthless bandit gang. Arriving at his home around 8:00 a.m., the attackers demanded his mobile phone. When he explained that the phone belonged to someone else, they violently seized it and cut off his right hand. The man now receives treatment from a local medicine shop owner in nearby Kuduru, his ordeal a stark reminder of the brazen attacks terrorizing the area.
Confirming the latest abduction, Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said, “On November 26, 2025, at about 8:00 p.m., reports indicated that suspected armed men abducted about ten persons from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages. Efforts are being made to rescue the victims.”
These attacks highlight the growing vulnerability of rural communities in Niger State, where bandits continue to strike with impunity, sowing fear and leaving lasting scars on victims and families.