Bandits have again attacked Garin Gabas and Kundu in Rafi Local Council of Niger State, abducting scores in the process.

It was gathered that after attacking the villages, they moved towards Pangu Gari village in the same council area with their abductees.

A source hinted that the hoodlums moved in batches on motorcycles, adding that some motorists on the busy Zungeru –Tegina-Kalgara route were seen retreating to escape possible attack by the bandits.

Another source said the military was able to repel the bandits trying to overtake the Tegina-Kalgara road after abducting their victims from the neighbouring villages.

The Commissioner for Homeland Security, Garba Abdullahi, said: “It is confirmed that bandits attacked Garin Gabas and Kundu on 07/04/2025 at about 1326 hours.

“However, there is no confirmation as to whether victims were abducted or not, or whether cattle were rustled. It is believed that they moved towards Pangu Gari village.”

The chairman of the Rafi council area, Ayuba Katako, said people were apprehensive because they saw military personnel on the road.

He said 11 bandits’ motorcycles were initially seen, and immediately, the military was mobilised to clear the road.

SIMILARLY, the Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed a violent attack on Takkau Village in the Gongono District of Tangaza Local Council by suspected members of the Lakurawa bandit group.

According to intelligence sources, the incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on April 7, when about 30 bandits, riding on motorcycles, stormed the community. The attackers fired shots into the air, causing widespread panic and forcing residents to flee to safety.

In the ensuing chaos, the assailants rustled an unspecified number of livestock.

A joint security task force responded promptly to a distress call and launched a search-and-rescue operation. Some of the stolen animals were successfully recovered, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

BORNO State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, have raised the alarm over the escalating attacks by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to take decisive action before the situation spirals out of control.

Over the past months, communities in Borno have suffered relentless assaults, with insurgents targeting villages and military outposts, particularly in Sabon Gari, Wajiroko and Wulgo, among others.

During an expanded security meeting at Government House, Maiduguiri, Zulum urged the government to prioritise the security of the Northeast, particularly Borno State, which shares borders with three neighbouring countries – Chad, Cameroon, and the Republic of Niger – as well as security concerns in the Sahel region.

“While we appreciate the tremendous support from the Federal Government and the military, we also want to state that with the current focus in the fight against insecurity shifted from the Northeast, all the gains we have recorded so far will be reversed,” they noted.

Briefing journalists at the end of the closed-door meeting, Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, said that among other resolutions, the council expressed support for the state government’s resettlement efforts.