By Attah Ede
The Niger State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of 47 women and many others while harvesting groundnuts on farms in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State by suspected bandits.
The Niger State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying joint security operatives were on the trail of the bandits.
He intimated that the command had on September 28, 2026, received a report indicating that on September 27, 2026, at about 3 p.m., suspected bandits abducted over 20 persons at Mukura village, Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga LGA.
He said joint security rescue efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims.
But community sources told journalists on Wednesday that at least 47 persons, mostly women, had been abducted by suspected bandits.
The incident occurred on Saturday at Tungan Rimi in Ma’undu-Beri Ward of the council area.
The victims were said to have been working on their farms when the armed men invaded the area and took them into the forest.
The Chairman of Mariga Local Government Area, Alhaji Aliyu Bagga Muhamadu, confirmed the incident, saying the victims comprised mostly women and a few men.
He disclosed that one of the abducted women reportedly gave birth while in captivity.
According to him, the bandits had contacted relatives of the victims and were demanding a ransom of N2 million for each person.
Muhamadu said joint security operatives and local vigilantes had moved into the forest in an effort to rescue the victims.
He added that the security team engaged the bandits around Alibani village after passing through Kasuwan Garba and Biri, during which a vigilante sustained injuries.
“The terrorists have abducted some of my residents, almost 50 of them, many women and some men. They have also contacted relatives of the abducted victims and are demanding for N2 million as ransom. The security should come to our rescue,” he said.
A source in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told journalists that villagers had sighted the armed men moving between Mangoro and Wamba after emerging from the Dogon Dawa axis.
The source said the bandits subsequently moved into the Bariki Forest, also known as Ma’undu, where the victims were suspected to have been taken.
Efforts to rescue the victims were ongoing as of Wednesday.
