No fewer than 100 heavily armed bandits have 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 on Tuesday 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.
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.
