Suspected bandits have abducted four women, including a pregnant woman, during an attack on Maikadauri village in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State.
The assailants reportedly stormed the community on Monday night, killing one resident and leaving another injured during the raid.
Sources familiar with the incident told journalists that the attackers whisked away the victims after invading the village and unleashing terror on residents.
A local vigilante identified simply as Amos was said to have sustained a gunshot wound to the leg while attempting to assist villagers and repel the attackers.
Speaking on the development, a resident of Kontagora, Habibu Mohammed, lamented the recurring attacks on communities located on the outskirts of the town despite ongoing security operations in the area.
He urged the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to stem the wave of violence and restore confidence among residents.
The latest attack came barely 24 hours after two young men, identified as Sidiq Musa and Bashar Bisalla, were reportedly shot dead by armed men while gathering firewood in a forest near Wawa in Borgu Local Government Area.
Residents of the area disclosed that no fewer than seven youths have lost their lives in similar attacks in the Wawa forest within the past few months while engaged in firewood collection.
Attempts to obtain an official reaction from the Niger State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Calls placed to the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, did not connect, while a text message sent to his phone had yet to receive a response.
The incident has heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of Niger State, with residents calling for urgent and decisive intervention to protect vulnerable communities.