Bandits Raze Police Station and Church in Niger Raid

In a chilling escalation of violence in Niger State, suspected armed bandits launched a predawn assault on the Agwara community on Sunday, February 1, 2026, leaving a trail of destruction that included the burning of a divisional police station and a local church. The attack, which occurred around 3:40 a.m., has sent shockwaves through the Agwara Local Government Area, a region already reeling from a series of high-profile abductions and terrorist incursions over the past few months.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the details of the raid in a statement from Minna. According to the police account, the assailants arrived in significant numbers and immediately targeted the Agwara Divisional Police Station. A tactical team on the ground reportedly engaged the gunmen in a fierce firefight, but the sheer firepower of the bandits—who utilized suspected dynamite—eventually overwhelmed the officers. The use of explosives allowed the attackers to ignite the facility, reducing much of the administrative structure to rubble.

The violence did not end at the police post. Witnesses and police sources confirmed that the attackers moved to the United Methodist Church (UMC) within the community. In what appeared to be a deliberate act of desecration, the bandits set part of the church building ablaze. Reverend Yakubu Yohanna of the UMC later noted that while worshippers had fled before the arrival of the gunmen, the structural damage and loss of church property were significant.

Beyond the arson, the raid resulted in the abduction of at least five residents. While their identities have not been officially confirmed, the kidnapping has heightened the climate of fear in a community that witnessed the mass abduction of over 300 students and staff from St. Mary’s School just months ago in November 2025. Local sources suggest the bandits parked their motorcycles on the outskirts of the town before trekking in to carry out the synchronized attacks on public and religious landmarks.

This latest incident highlights the growing audacity of non-state actors in the North-Central region, who are increasingly targeting security infrastructure to weaken local defenses. The use of dynamite in the Agwara attack mirrors tactics recently seen in the Sahel, suggesting a more sophisticated level of ordnance among the criminal groups operating in Niger State. The local market and residential areas were also reportedly looted for food and valuables during the overnight operation.

The Niger State Police Command has assured the public that a manhunt is underway. SP Abiodun stated that security agencies have intensified efforts to track the perpetrators and rescue the five captives. However, for the residents of Agwara, the sight of their police station in ashes and their place of worship charred remains a stark reminder of the fragile security situation as they enter the second month of 2026.