NIGER, NIGERIA — Armed bandits on Wednesday stormed a rice farm in Palaita community in Erena Ward of Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State, abducting around 24 people including pregnant women from their farm.
According to local residents, the attack occurred at about 2:00 p.m. while workers were harvesting. The gunmen surrounded them, forced them into motorcycles, and fled into the bush before security operatives from a nearby military base located roughly five kilometres away could respond.
READ ALSO
A source described the raid as “devastating,” warning that families are now living in fear as kidnappers continue to operate with seeming impunity, despite the presence of security forces nearby.
In a separate but related incident earlier the same day, another group of armed men attacked Kakuru community also in Erena Ward where they accosted a blind man at his home.
The attackers reportedly demanded a mobile phone they saw, and when the man claimed it belonged to a neighbour who was away at work, they seized the phone and cut off his right hand. The victim is said to be receiving first aid treatment at a local patent medicine store in nearby Kuduru community.
State authorities have been alerted. Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that reports of abduction were received, though he gave a lower figure saying about 10 persons were abducted from some other villages in Shiroro LGA. He added that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims.
The latest attack comes amid a wider surge in violent raids and kidnappings in Niger State and surrounding areas, intensifying concerns about the security of rural communities dependent on farming.
Community leaders and residents have condemned the attack, calling on the government and security agencies to step up protection for farmers, especially during harvest periods. Some are demanding a review of security deployment in farm communities and more proactive measures to curb banditry.
As of now, no ransom demand has been reported publicly, and the identities of the abducted persons remain unconfirmed.
