•Bandits
Residents of Tungan-Makeri and Konkoso communities in Borgu Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State are counting their losses following a deadly attack by suspected bandits that left six people dead and a police station destroyed.
The coordinated assault reportedly began late on Friday night in Tungan-Makeri, where heavily armed men stormed the community, firing sporadically and setting several houses ablaze. Eyewitnesses said the attackers, numbering more than 200, operated for hours, causing panic and forcing residents to flee to neighbouring villages, reports Channels TV.
A resident of Zagatina village, located along the attackers’ route, said he saw dozens of motorcycles conveying the armed men.
“I counted about 41 motorcycles, each carrying two or three persons. Some even had women and children with them. When I realised they were approaching, I quickly hid in the bush as they passed behind my house,” he said.
By the end of the attack on Tungan-Makeri, six people had reportedly been killed, several houses destroyed, and many families displaced.
The assailants were said to have advanced to nearby Konkoso in the early hours of Saturday, where they allegedly set a police station ablaze, destroying property and heightening tension across the district.
Residents described the attack as brazen, noting the absence of a visible security presence during the invasion.
There were also reports that a Nigerian Air Force aircraft was sighted around Tungan-Makeri after the initial assault, with some residents attributing the bandits’ eventual withdrawal to aerial surveillance.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the command received reports that at about 3:00 a.m., suspected bandits invaded Tungan-Makeri via the Shafachi district in Borgu LGA.
According to him, six people were killed during the attack, some houses were set on fire, and an unspecified number of residents were abducted. He added that the attackers were also reported to have moved towards Konkoso, while further details remained sketchy.
The police spokesperson disclosed that joint security teams have since been mobilised to the affected communities for assessment, while efforts to rescue the abducted victims and restore normalcy are ongoing.
The latest attack once again highlights the persistent security challenges confronting parts of Borgu LGA, with residents calling on the state government and security agencies to strengthen security presence in vulnerable communities to forestall further violence.
