Bandits Kill Seven, Abduct 200 in Night Raid in Niger State
In a tragic overnight raid, armed bandits killed seven people, including four members of the Joint Security Taskforce, and kidnapped around 200 villagers in Kuchi village, Munya Local Government Area of Niger State. The attack, which took place at approximately 7 pm on Friday, also saw three civilians killed as they tried to escape into the bush.
Eyewitnesses reported that the bandits, exceeding 200 in number, arrived on nearly 100 motorcycles, each carrying three riders. They launched their assault under the cover of darkness and heavy rain. Overpowering the local security forces, the assailants operated for more than three hours without encountering any reinforcements.
During the raid, the bandits systematically moved from house to house, targeting their victims—mainly women—and looting local shops. This attack follows a similar incident two weeks earlier, where about 30 individuals were kidnapped from two commercial vehicles near Mangoro village.
Munya Local Government Chairman Mal Aminu Najume confirmed the attack and described the overwhelming force of the bandits, who engaged in a prolonged gunfight with local security personnel. He reported that over 300 gunmen moved from house to house, robbing residents and abducting around 150 villagers, including women, despite the heavy rain.
Najume criticized the inadequate response to the crisis, emphasizing a failure to address banditry with the necessary urgency. He noted, “For over three hours, they operated without any reinforcements arriving. They outnumbered the Joint Security Taskforce and managed to kill four of them, along with some villagers.”
Najume also stressed the need for better coordination and action between state governments to combat the escalating threat of banditry, specifically criticizing Kaduna State for not implementing stringent measures like those in Niger State. The community remains in shock and mourning as the search for the abducted villagers continues. Calls for immediate and decisive action to secure their release and prevent further incidents are growing louder.
