Exactly one week after more than 300 students were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, another round of violent attacks has shaken communities in Niger and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
On Wednesday, bandits stormed Palaita community in Erena Ward, Shiroro Local Government Area, abducting 24 people — including a pregnant woman — from a rice farm. During the attack, a blind resident in nearby Kakuru community had his right hand cut off after refusing to surrender a mobile phone.
Locals said the attackers struck around 2:00 p.m. while farmers were harvesting crops. Despite Palaita being just five kilometres from a military base, the gunmen escaped with their victims before security forces could intervene.
“They drove straight to the farm, shooting nonstop. By the time the farmers realised what was happening, they had been surrounded and taken away on motorcycles,” a community source said.
In Kakuru, the blind victim reportedly insisted the phone in his possession did not belong to him, provoking the attackers to chop off his hand before taking the device. His current condition remains unknown.
However, the Niger State Police Command gave a lower figure, stating that 10 persons were abducted from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages on November 26.
The attacks come amid renewed national concern over rising insecurity. In Abuja, bandits unleashed yet another night raid on Gidan-Bijimi in Kawu Ward, Bwari Area Council, kidnapping six girls aged 17 to 23 and a 16-year-old boy. Gunshots rang through the community around 9:47 p.m., forcing residents to flee into the bush.
The incident occurred just days after a police officer was killed during a separate attack in Guto, another Bwari community.
A resident, Suleiman Shuaibu, confirmed that his cousin was among the abducted girls. Local vigilantes attempted resistance but retreated due to the attackers’ superior firepower. As of Thursday morning, no contact had been established with the kidnappers.
Meanwhile, the Anglican Diocese of Kaduna has announced the death of Venerable Edwin Achi, Priest-in-Charge of Ebenezer Anglican Church, Ungwan Maijero, who was abducted on October 28. His killing forced the cancellation of the upcoming ‘Stand Up for Jesus 2025’ event.
Amid the escalating violence, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar insisted that security forces were closing in on bandit networks despite the recent resurgence of mass abductions. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, also announced the redeployment of 11,566 officers previously assigned to VIP duties to underserved communities.
In the FCT, authorities have activated an expanded Operation Sweep following a security council meeting chaired by Minister Nyesom Wike. The operation has been reorganised into four sectors with joint deployments from multiple security agencies.
Despite these efforts, fear continues to mount across vulnerable communities in Niger and the FCT, where residents say they are living under constant threat and are pleading for urgent rescue operations to free the latest victims.
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