Summary
Bandits have carried out yet another violent raid in the Palaita community of Erena Ward, located in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, seizing 24 people, including pregnant women, from a rice field.
According to a source in the area, the armed group stormed the farm around 2:00 pm on Wednesday while locals were busy harvesting crops.
Despite Palaita being barely five kilometres away from a military base in Erena, the attackers reportedly fled with their captives long before any security team could intervene.
Earlier the same day, a separate set of armed assailants invaded the Kakuru community, also under Erena Ward, where they assaulted a blind man and cut off his right hand after taking a mobile phone from him.
The intruders arrived at about 8:00 am and found only the visually impaired man at home, as other residents had gone to their farms.
The victim was said to have told the gunmen that the mobile phone was not his but belonged to a neighbour who had left for the farm. Enraged by his explanation, the attackers took the phone and amputated his right hand.
He is currently receiving basic medical treatment at a patent medicine store in the Kuduru community.
Speaking on the matter, the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the abductions and assured that efforts are underway to rescue the victims.
“On November 26, 2025, at about 8 pm, a report was received indicating that suspected armed men abducted about ten persons from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages of Shiroro Local Government Area,” Abiodun stated. “Effort is being made to rescue the victims.”
This latest attack comes just days after armed groups seized more than 300 pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, last Friday.
These incidents add to a worsening wave of nationwide insecurity witnessed in recent days across northern states, where frequent mass kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common.
What You Should Know
The recent assault in Palaita is part of a broader pattern of escalating banditry in Niger State and neighbouring regions.
With another large-scale abduction occurring only a week earlier, and multiple communities under threat, the situation highlights deepening security vulnerabilities.
Despite the presence of military formations nearby, bandits continue to operate with alarming freedom, underscoring a pressing need for stronger and faster security responses.
