Bandits set Police Station, Church ablaze in Niger Community, abduct Five

Suspected bandits have attacked Agwara town, the headquarters of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, setting ablaze the Divisional Police Station, vandalising a church and kidnapping at least five residents.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, reportedly began around 4am when the assailants stormed the town and engaged police officers in a gun battle.

Security sources said the attackers eventually overpowered the officers on duty and set the police station on fire before moving into other parts of the community.

Residents said the assailants also targeted the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Agwara, where part of the building was burnt, before abducting no fewer than five persons.

A resident of the town, Mallam Hussaini Mohammed, told journalists on the telephone that the incident had thrown the community into panic, forcing many residents to flee their homes for safety.

“The bandits attacked the police station first and later moved to the church, where they set part of it on fire. People are scared and many have left the town,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the attack occurred at about 3:40am but no life was lost.

According to him, armed bandits invaded Agwara community and attacked the divisional police station, where they were engaged by a tactical police team.

“The attackers used suspected dynamite to set the police station ablaze after overpowering the officers on ground,” Abiodun said.

He added that the assailants later moved to the UMC church, burnt part of the structure and proceeded to other areas of the community, where about five persons were abducted.

“The identities of the abducted victims are yet to be ascertained. Monitoring continues and further developments will be communicated,” the police spokesperson said.

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