At least six farmers have been killed and dozens abducted by bandits in continuing attacks on Rijau and Mariga Local Government Areas of Niger State, northern Nigeria.
The latest attack occurred on Monday afternoon in Rijau town, the headquarters of Rijau LGA, and lasted for over two hours. The attackers reportedly moved from house to house, looting shops, stealing valuables, and rustling hundreds of cattle belonging to internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge in the town.
In a report by the Daily Trust newspaper, witnesses said over 20 residents, including women and shop owners, were taken away on motorcycles. Several others sustained bullet wounds while attempting to flee.
“In Rijau, they ransacked everywhere,” one resident said. “Shops were looted, food items were taken, and people were injured. Some even hid in the ceiling. It was terrifying.”
The bandits had earlier struck multiple villages in Mariga LGA — including Ya-Bawa, Maburya, Ragada, Kura’a, and Kumbashi — forcing hundreds of villagers to flee into surrounding forests and riverine communities.
