Bandits invade Niger communities, kill villagers, burn JTF camp

Around 100 heavily armed bandits on Tuesday stormed three communities in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, killing an unspecified number of villagers, burning homes, and looting properties, including rustling over 200 cattle.

The affected communities—Zagzaga, Chibani, and Kuchi—were attacked in a coordinated operation that lasted from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., during which the bandits moved from house to house, unleashing terror on residents and stealing foodstuffs.

A particularly shocking development was the burning of a Joint Task Force (JTF) security camp in Kuchi community. According to reports, the security operatives abandoned their post due to the overwhelming number of attackers, allowing the bandits to set the camp ablaze without resistance.

During the aftermath of the raid, the corpse of one of the bandits was discovered in Kuchi, reportedly left behind by his fleeing accomplices.

Residents revealed they had earlier raised an alarm about the mass movement of the bandits through informal channels to government authorities in Minna but received no response.

“We alerted our contact in Minna to inform the authorities after spotting the bandits gathering in Kusasu before the attacks,” a local source said. “They stayed in the bush for over five hours before launching the assault. Everyone saw them, but they were too many and riding motorcycles.”

When contacted, the Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maj-Gen. Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), acknowledged knowledge of an incident in the area but said he was yet to receive a full briefing.

Attempts to reach the Chairman of Munya Local Government Area, Aminu Najume, were unsuccessful as of press time.

Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Media and Strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, condemned the attack and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the protection of lives and property in the state.

“Despite the measures taken by the state government, these enemies, with the help of local informants, continue to attack innocent villagers. But we will not relent in our efforts to secure our people,”