Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, killing one person, abducting five others, and setting a church building and a police station on fire.
The attack affected the United Missionary Church of Africa in Agwara, which was razed, while the police station in the community was also burnt.
It was learnt that the assailants struck early on Sunday. They reportedly set the church ablaze at about 6 a.m. before moving to Sokonba, a nearby village that borders Kabe, which was attacked recently. The attackers were said to have carted away foodstuffs and other valuables. An elderly woman was later killed in Kabe town, while five residents were taken away by the gunmen.
Reacting to the incident, the son of the late Emir, Murtala Dantoro, said repeated attacks had turned previously calm communities into places of fear and uncertainty.
According to him, “Innocent lives are being lost, farmers are abandoning their farmlands, economic activities have collapsed, and families are forced to flee their homes in search of safety.
“These attacks are not isolated incidents; they are persistent and escalating. The absence of a permanent and well-equipped military formation in Agwara has left the people vulnerable and exposed.
“The state and federal governments must come to our aid urgently before these suspected bandits chase us out of our homeland.”
Dantoro stated that the lack of military presence had created a security vacuum, which had encouraged criminals to operate freely. He said this situation had worsened both the humanitarian and economic conditions in the area.
Agwara has witnessed several violent attacks in recent times and remains a strategic part of Niger State. Residents warned that continued neglect of the area poses a serious danger to nearby communities.
In a similar appeal, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, called on the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to establish a permanent military formation in Agwara.
He said, “This is not a luxury; it is a necessity. A visible and stationed military presence will deter criminal activities, restore confidence among residents, enable displaced persons to return home, and allow farmers to safely return to their farms.
“Enough is enough. The people of Agwara deserve peace, protection and the right to live without fear. Security is the foundation of development, and without it, no meaningful progress can be achieved.
“Agwara deserves peace and development. The time to act is now. We are deeply concerned about the security situation and wonder why there has been no permanent solution.
“These suspected bandits now move freely without challenge. Presently, the rule of law no longer functions effectively in Borgu and its surrounding axis, as criminals operate freely both day and night.”
The bishop further alleged that the attackers were gradually turning the Borgu Emirate into what he described as a “terrorist enclave” through killings, displacement of residents and intimidation of others into cooperation.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said police operatives engaged the attackers before they set the station on fire.
He said, “On February 1, 2026, at about 3:40 a.m., armed bandits invaded the Agwara community and attacked the police station, where they were engaged by the tactical team on the ground. The attackers later overpowered the team and used suspected dynamite to set the station on fire.
“The bandits subsequently moved to the UMC church in the community, burnt part of the building, proceeded to other areas and abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be ascertained. Monitoring continues.”
Niger State has faced a rise in banditry and violent attacks in recent months. In November 2025, bandits abducted more than 300 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s School in Papiri. The situation worsened from late December 2025 to early January 2026.
On January 3, gunmen on motorcycles attacked Kasuwan Daji village in Agwara Local Government Area. During the incident, 42 men were killed, women and children were abducted, while the market and several houses were set ablaze.
These attacks have highlighted the persistent security challenges confronting the state.
