Gunmen Kidnap Children Returning From Farm In Niger State

Gunmen have kidnapped between 12 and 18 children near Maigujeri in Niger State while they were returning from a farm where they had helped their teacher harvest maize. One child was reportedly shot and is receiving treatment in Minna. The abduction adds to a series of kidnappings by armed gangs in the state, including previous attacks on farmers and schoolchildren.

Armed men have kidnapped several children in Niger State, central Nigeria, in another attack highlighting the growing threat of abductions by criminal gangs in the region.
The children were abducted on Saturday near Maigujeri in Rafi Local Government Area while returning from a farm where they had been helping their schoolteacher harvest maize.
Reports differ over the number of victims. A security report put the figure at 18, while a local resident, Mohammed Abdullahi, estimated that about 12 children were taken.
One child was reportedly shot during the incident and is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Minna, the state capital.

CHILDREN ABDUCTED WHILE RETURNING FROM FARM

According to local accounts, the children had accompanied their teacher to a farm to help with maize harvesting. They were travelling back home when gunmen riding motorcycles intercepted them and forced them away.
The attack has raised concerns about the safety of children and other residents carrying out everyday activities in rural communities.
The circumstances surrounding the abduction, including the exact number of children taken and the identities of those responsible, remain unclear.
The reported shooting of one child has also added to fears among residents, particularly families whose children may be exposed to similar attacks while travelling between farms, schools and their homes.

BANDIT ATTACKS AND KIDNAPPINGS CONTINUE IN NIGER STATE

The abduction is the latest in a series of attacks by armed criminal groups commonly known as bandits. These gangs have carried out kidnappings, armed raids and cattle theft across parts of Niger State.
Some criminal groups operating in central and northwestern Nigeria have also developed links with terrorist organisations, making the security situation more complicated for authorities.
The attacks have affected farming communities in particular. Armed groups sometimes target people working on isolated farms because they may be far from immediate security assistance.
In September 2026, at least 47 farmers, many of them women, were reportedly abducted while harvesting groundnuts. Another incident in August involved approximately 50 children taken from a farm. They were later released after a ransom was paid.

PREVIOUS MASS ABDUCTIONS RAISE FURTHER CONCERNS

Niger State has also experienced major school kidnappings. In November 2025, more than 250 children were abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Papiri.
The victims were eventually released about a month later following a large ransom payment, according to the report.
Such incidents have intensified concerns about the protection of schools, farms and rural settlements. They have also disrupted education and farming activities, as families become increasingly afraid of sending children to school or allowing relatives to work in distant fields.
For affected households, kidnappings can bring severe emotional distress and financial pressure, particularly when families are asked to pay ransom for the release of their loved ones.

SECURITY CHALLENGE
GROWS AS RURAL COMMUNITIES FACE REPEATED ATTACKS

The latest abduction adds to the pressure on security agencies to protect vulnerable communities and prevent armed groups from operating freely in rural areas.
Authorities will need to establish the exact number of children taken, locate the victims and secure their safe return. The reported shooting also highlights the immediate danger faced by those caught in such attacks.
Beyond rescuing the children, preventing further kidnappings will require stronger security in isolated farming areas, improved intelligence gathering and measures to disrupt the criminal networks responsible for the violence.