At least 47 people, the majority of them women, were kidnapped by terrorists as they harvested groundnuts on farms in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The event took place on Saturday at Tungan Rimi, located in Ma’undu-Beri Ward of the council area.
Reports indicate that the victims were tending to their farms when the armed men stormed the area and led them away into the forest.
Alhaji Aliyu Bagga Muhamadu, Chairman of Mariga Local Government Area, verified the incident and noted that most of those taken were women, along with a few men.
He revealed that one of the kidnapped women was said to have delivered a baby while being held captive.
He also stated that the terrorists had reached out to the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of N2 million per person.
Muhamadu said that combined security forces and local vigilantes had entered the forest in a bid to rescue the victims.
He further mentioned that the security team clashed with the bandits near Alibani village after moving through Kasuwan Garba and Biri, and during the encounter a vigilante was wounded.
“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.
An area source, speaking on condition of anonymity, informed Vanguard that villagers had spotted the armed men traveling between Mangoro and Wamba after they came out of the Dogon Dawa axis.
According to the source, the bandits then entered the Bariki Forest, also called Ma’undu, where the victims were believed to have been taken.
The Niger State Police Command, however, reported a lower number of victims.
The command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident on Wednesday and stated that joint security operatives were tracking 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.
