Residents of Agwara town, the headquarters of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, were thrown into panic in the early hours of Saturday after armed bandits attacked the community, setting ablaze a police station and a church, and kidnapping several people.
The attackers were said to have stormed the town around 4:00 a.m., firing heavy gunshots as they engaged police officers stationed at the Divisional Police Headquarters in a fierce gun battle. After overpowering the officers on duty, the assailants reportedly used suspected dynamite to set the police station on fire.
Sources told Daily Trust that following the attack on the police facility, the gunmen moved to the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the area, where part of the church building was also razed. The attackers then spread to other parts of the community, abducting at least five residents.
A resident of Agwara, Mallam Hussaini Mohammed, who spoke with Daily Trust on the telephone, confirmed the incident, saying the attack had instilled fear across the town.
“Part of the church was burnt, and the situation has created serious fear. Many people have fled their homes to seek safety,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said no life was lost during the attack.
According to him, “On 01/02/26 at about 3:40 a.m., armed bandits invaded Agwara community and attacked the police station, where they were engaged by the tactical team on ground. The bandits used suspected dynamite to set the station ablaze after overpowering the team.
“The terrorists later moved to the UMC church in the community, burnt part of the church, proceeded to other areas and abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be ascertained.”
Abiodun added that security agencies have intensified monitoring in the area, assuring residents that further developments would be communicated as efforts continue to restore calm to the community.
Let Nigerian govt Tinubu and Sheik Gumi tell us what is going on pls