More than 100 heavily armed bandits stormed three communities in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, killing multiple villagers and setting homes ablaze.
The affected communities—Zagzaga, Chibani, and Kuchi—were attacked in succession between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
The gunmen, encountering no resistance, reportedly killed an unspecified number of residents, including women, while also looting food supplies and burning down homes.
The attackers also rustled over 200 cattle during the raid.
In Kuchi, a member of the gang was found dead under mysterious circumstances; his body was abandoned by his fellow bandits.
A camp belonging to the Joint Security Taskforce in Kuchi was also set on fire. Members of the task force reportedly fled after learning about the large number of assailants.
Eyewitnesses and community sources stated that the attackers had gathered for over five hours in Kusasu, a border village in Shiroro Local Government Area, before launching the assault.
Despite attempts by villagers to alert authorities in Minna through local contacts, no intervention came before the attack was carried out.
“We raised the alarm when we saw them gathering in Kusasu, but nothing was done,” one local source told Sun Newspaper. “They were openly moving in the bush on motorcycles.”
While commenting on the attack, Commissioner for Homeland Security Maj.-Gen. Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd) acknowledged an incident had occurred but said he was yet to receive a full report.
Meanwhile, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Media, and Strategy, condemned the attack, calling it “barbaric, wicked, and inhuman.”
He expressed frustration over the continued violence despite government efforts to curb insecurity.
Vatsa also accused local informants of undermining the state’s security strategies and vowed that the government would not give up until peace is restored and development is possible.