Terrorists kill scores in Niger, abduct many
●Recently freed Papiri School students among abductees
Terrorists late Saturday killed no fewer than 40 persons and abducted many others in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, various media outlets, including Sky News, TheCable, and Premium Times report.
Among those kidnapped by the Islamists were some of the recently freed pupils of Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, abducted late last year.
Although the reports gave different casualty figures ranging between 30 and 42, the final figure was yet to be determined by the time of filing this report.
In the Saturday attack, those the terrorists killed included women and children in Kasuwan Daji and Kaima communities, residents revealed.
A resident of one of the communities told Premium Times that the terrorists took the abducted villagers into the Kainji National Park, which they at times use as a base for their terror operations.
“The attackers killed 37 people in Kasuwan Daji near Papiri and another five in Kaima village. Many people were abducted, including children and some of the students who had earlier been released,” a source who spoke anonymously for fear of their safety, said.
Confirming the attack, the Director of Communications, Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, Stephen Kabirat, said,
“Our parish priest narrowly escaped abduction when the terrorists visited our mission house three days ago.
“They destroyed some religious items, carted away two motorcycles and cash of over N200,000. They were looking for the priest, but he escaped. Some villagers, including children, were abducted.”
The latest incident came five days after suspected bandits fleeing a military operation in Kwara State reportedly invaded Gebe and Goro communities, also in Agwara Local Government Area, killing two people and burning more than 15 houses after looting valuables.
About a week earlier, terrorists attacked a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) checkpoint in Wawa community, Borgu Local Government Area, carting away arms and ammunition as personnel fled the scene.
Residents said the attackers have established camps in the Kainji National Park, from where they repeatedly raid communities in the area.
“We have a serious crisis across River Rofia, where they cross from Kebbi State to attack us,” one source said. “They came out of the forest about a week ago, wreaking havoc. Just on Saturday, they burnt a market and abducted many people, including children.”
A villager appealed to the authorities for urgent intervention, stating that several communities had been displaced due to fear.
“As I speak to you, some villages where the abducted school children come from have been sleeping in the bushes since their return because of the activities of the terrorists,” the villager said.
The Niger State Police Command also confirmed the attacks. The command’s spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, a superintendent of police, said the police received reports around 9 p.m. on Saturday that suspected bandits had attacked communities, killing over 30 people and abducting an unconfirmed number of victims.
“In a related development, at about 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kebe District invaded Kasuwan Daji located at Demo Village via Kebe village,” Mr Abiodun said in a statement. “They killed over 30 persons, burnt the market, looted shops and carted away food items.
“A joint security team has visited the scene, and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims. Further developments will be communicated.”
On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and ordered security operatives to free the captives and apprehend the attackers.
The repeated attacks on Christians fuel the narrative of Christian genocide in Nigeria, with the country already branded the most hostile country in which to practise Christianity in the world.
