Bandits In Early Sunday Attack, Abduct Five, Burn Police Station, Church In Niger

By Ayodele Oni

Armed bandits have attacked Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State again, setting the Divisional Police Station and a church ablaze while abducting about five villagers in an early Sunday raid.

Police said the attackers stormed the station around 3:40 a.m. A tactical team attempted to resist them but was eventually overpowered.

The assailants reportedly used suspected dynamite to set the building on fire before moving to the United Methodist Church, where part of the structure was also burnt.

An eyewitness said the bandits arrived around 2 a.m., parked their motorcycles some kilometres away, and trekked into the community.

After attacking the police station, they allegedly moved from house to house, looting valuables and food items, before heading to the church, piling benches together, pouring petrol on them, and setting the place ablaze.

Reverend Yakubu Yohanna confirmed the incident, stating that no lives were lost as worshippers fled before the bandits reached the church. Police said the situation is being monitored and further updates will follow

The State Police Command confirmed that suspected armed bandits set a police station and part of a church on fire in Agwara community in the early hours of Sunday.

Police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the attack occurred around 3:40 a.m. when the assailants invaded the Agwara Police Station.

According to him, the tactical team on duty attempted to resist the attack, but the bandits eventually overpowered the officers and used suspected dynamite to set the building ablaze.

He added that the attackers later moved to the United Methodist Church (UMC), where they burnt part of the structure before proceeding to other areas of the community.

About five persons were abducted, and their identities are yet to be confirmed.

The police assured that the situation is being monitored, investigations are ongoing, and efforts have been intensified to track down the perpetrators and rescue the abducted victims.