By Sandra Kenneth
A joint security team comprising personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, and local vigilantes has launched a rescue operation into the forest reserves of Niger State following the abduction of over 47 farmers by suspected bandits.
The victims, predominantly women and a few men, were seized on Sunday, September 27, while harvesting groundnuts on their farmlands in Tungan Rimi, located within the Ma’undu-Beri Ward of Mariga Local Government Area.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Alhaji Aliyu Muhamadu, stated that the abductors have since contacted relatives of the victims, demanding a ransom of ₦2 million per captive. He further disclosed the heartbreaking detail that one of the abducted women gave birth while in captivity.
“Yes, some of my people were abducted while working on their farms. Many of them are women, along with a few men. One woman gave birth in the abductors’ camp, and the bandits are demanding ₦2 million for each victim,” Muhamadu said.
The Council Chairman added that security forces and local vigilantes had already clashed with the assailants during a sweep of the terrain. “The joint security personnel and vigilantes engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun battle at Alibani village after tracking them through Kasuwan Garba and Biri. One vigilante sustained injuries during the encounter,” he noted.
Providing official details from the police, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that rescue efforts are active across several communities.
“Reports received on September 28 indicated that on September 27 at about 3:00 p.m., suspected bandits abducted over twenty persons at Mukura village, Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga LGA. Joint security rescue efforts are ongoing,” Abiodun stated.
A local source, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported seeing armed men moving between the Mangoro and Wamba areas after emerging from the Dogon Dawa axis. The bandits are believed to have herded the captives into Bariki Forest, also known as Ma’undu, where security forces are currently focusing their search operations.
