Armed bandits have again struck Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria, burning a police station and a church and abducting residents during a coordinated early-morning raid on Sunday.
Residents said the attackers arrived at about 2:00 a.m., parking their motorcycles several kilometres from the town before trekking into the community. The assailants reportedly headed first to the Agwara police station, where officers on duty were overwhelmed by the attackers’ superior numbers and forced to withdraw. The station was subsequently set ablaze.
Eyewitnesses said the bandits then moved from house to house, carting away valuables and foodstuffs, before proceeding to the United African Missionary Church (UAMC), also known as the YMCA, which was completely burnt. A monthly church vigil was said to have been ongoing at the time, but worshippers fled after receiving warnings of the attack.
It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties at the police station or the church.
Confirming the incident, the Reverend Yakubu Yohanna said no worshippers were present when the attackers reached the church. “The town was invaded by bandits, and they came to our church. They did not meet anyone, but they burnt the church building and everything inside,” he said. “So far, no life has been lost, but we are still waiting for people to return from hiding to determine the full extent of the damage.”
The Niger State Police Command also confirmed the attack. In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, said the police station was attacked at about 3:40 a.m.
“Armed bandits attacked the police station, set it ablaze, and also burnt part of a church in Agwara community,” he said.
“Police tactical teams engaged the attackers, but they were overpowered. The assailants used suspected dynamite to set the station on fire.”
According to the police, the attackers later moved to other parts of the community and abducted five persons, whose identities had yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report.
Agwara has witnessed repeated security breaches in recent times, including the abduction of about 300 pupils, students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri last year, an incident that has continued to fuel fear and anxiety among residents over the deteriorating security situation in the area.