Bandits abduct 47 Niger women, others harvesting groundnuts

MINNA — No fewer than 47 people, mostly women, have been abducted by suspected bandits while harvesting groundnuts on farms in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.

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 Vanguard 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.

However, the Niger State Police Command gave a lower figure for the number of victims.

The command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying joint security operatives were on the trail of the bandits.

“Reports received on 28th Sept 2026 indicated that on 27th Sept 2026 at about 3pm, suspected bandits abducted over twenty persons at Mukura village, Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga LGA. Joint security rescue efforts ongoing,” Abiodun said.