Fear and tension have gripped several communities in Niger and Kwara states following renewed bandit attacks that left many dead, dozens kidnapped, and thousands displaced.
In Niger State, armed bandits on motorcycles stormed villages in Mariga Local Government Area (LGA) on Monday, forcing residents of Ragada, Kura’a, Kumbashi, Ya-Bawa, and Maburya to flee their homes. Survivors narrated how women and children crossed the River Maroro in canoes to seek refuge in Gulbin-Boka after the assailants invaded in broad daylight.
The violence also spread to Rijau LGA, where six farmers were killed and over 20 people, including women, were abducted. Hundreds of cattle were rustled, while shops and homes were looted in coordinated raids that left farmlands abandoned and families scattered.
In Kwara State, the Babanla community in Ifelodun LGA was attacked by about 200 armed assailants, believed to be from a Boko Haram faction. The gunmen killed at least five people, including a police officer, looted the main market, and abducted residents, forcing over 3,000 villagers to flee. A similar night raid on Bokungi community in Edu LGA left one person dead and triggered fresh displacement.
Although soldiers, police, and vigilantes have since been deployed to parts of Kwara, residents say fear still hangs in the air. “We need more security to return home and continue our lives,” one community leader pleaded.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, particularly in Niger where families who fled are stranded without food, shelter, or basic supplies. Local leaders are calling on both state and federal governments to urgently intervene before the crisis escalates further.
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