In a shocking escalation of violence, bandits attacked the villages of Wayam and Belu-Belu in Rafi Local Government Area, Niger State, early Tuesday morning, killing at least 10 people, including a Chinese national and several women. Six of the victims were reportedly beheaded, with the attackers fleeing with their heads, according to reports from Daily Trust.
The assault, which took place around 5 a.m. during morning prayers, left numerous residents injured. Many of the wounded have since been transported to a clinic in Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi LGA. Local resident Bala Tukur expressed the traumatic toll of the attacks, saying, “The way they killed us now is very traumatic, I swear. Everybody has fled.”
Beyond the lives lost, the violence has severely impacted local agriculture. “Many people have not been able to harvest 50 percent of their crops, including maize,” Tukur added. Villagers in the nearby Kukoki community were reportedly forced to pay N1.5 million to harvest their crops but faced new attacks only days later, highlighting the intensified banditry during harvest season.
The surge in attacks has spanned multiple local government areas, including Wushishi, Rafi, Shiroro, Mariga, and Kontagora, where farmers have been targeted as they attempt to gather their seasonal yields. On Friday, bandits also struck Zungeru in Wushishi LGA, raiding homes and a hotel, and kidnapping residents, including a man known locally as Abacha and his wife.
Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed, confirmed awareness of the attacks and assured the public that all security forces had been mobilized to respond. When contacted, Niger State Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun noted that he would need time to verify details of the incidents.
As the banditry crisis continues to escalate in Niger State, authorities face growing pressure to protect vulnerable rural communities amid ongoing threats to their safety and livelihoods.