Armed Attack in Niger State Kills At Least 20, Dozens Abducted

Armed men attacked villages in Niger State, northwestern Nigeria, killing at least 20 people and abducting several others. The attacks, which targeted Bagna and Erena, also destroyed homes and forced residents to flee. Witnesses said the gunmen arrived on motorbikes and operated for hours, overwhelming local security forces. No group has claimed responsibility, but authorities and residents blame Mahmuda, a jihadist group linked to Al Qaeda. Over 40 people were reportedly killed across several villages in northwest Nigeria this week.

At least 20 people have been killed by armed men in Niger State, in the northwestern part of Nigeria, according to residents and reports from humanitarian organizations, with several others reportedly abducted during the attacks. The violent incidents occurred in Shiroro district, which is located approximately 250 kilometers, or about a four-hour drive, from Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. This area has long been plagued by the activities of kidnapping gangs and Islamist militant groups, which have continued to operate with relative impunity in recent years.
According to Wasiu Abiodun, a spokesperson for the Niger State Police, gunmen stormed the villages of Bagna and Erena on Tuesday. While Abiodun reported that three people had been killed—two community guards and a driver—several local sources, including residents, a nearby health facility, and a community organizing group, told media outlets that the actual death toll was far higher, reaching at least 20.
In addition to the killings and kidnappings, the attackers also destroyed homes and property, forcing many residents to flee to neighboring villages for safety. Witnesses described the attack as prolonged, lasting several hours, during which the armed men overwhelmed the local security forces stationed in the area. One resident, Jibrin Isah of Erena, told the Associated Press that the attackers arrived on motorbikes and opened fire in what he described as a surprise assault during the early hours of the morning.
Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country, has been battling a persistent insurgency in its Muslim-majority northern regions for many years. Local clergy told the French AFP news agency that, over the course of this week alone, more than 40 people were killed in several remote villages in northwest Nigeria, with the attacks beginning late on Sunday. Reports indicated that at least nine villages in both Kebbi and Niger states were affected by the violence.
No group has officially claimed responsibility for these attacks. However, both residents and police have blamed a local jihadist faction known as Mahmuda, which broke away from Boko Haram and has since allied itself with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Local religious leaders described the attacks as indiscriminate, targeting people regardless of their faith. One Christian leader told AFP that the militants “killed everybody in sight, including Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers,” emphasizing the brutal and unselective nature of the violence.