In the early hours of Sunday, February 1, 2026, suspected armed bandits launched a violent attack on the Agwara community in Niger State, burning down a police station and part of a church.
According to reports from Daily Trust and confirmation by the Niger State Police Command, the incident unfolded as follows:
Assault on Police Station: Attackers arrived around 3:40 a.m. and engaged a police tactical team in a gun battle. The bandits eventually overpowered the officers and used dynamite to set the divisional police station ablaze.
Attack on Church: The group then moved to the United Missionary Church of Africa (UMC), where they set part of the building on fire.
Kidnappings: During the raid, at least five residents were abducted and taken into the nearby forest reserve.
Casualties: No lives were reported lost during the immediate confrontation, though one person was later reported dead in related updates.
Security agencies have reportedly commenced monitoring and investigation efforts to track the perpetrators and rescue the victims. This attack follows a pattern of increasing insecurity in the region, including the mass abduction of worshippers in neighboring Kaduna State just weeks prior.
