Gunmen Kill 26, Burn Police Station, Houses in Fresh Attack on Communities in Niger State

At least 26 persons have been killed after armed men suspected to be bandits launched a deadly assault on Tungan Makeri and Nkpaso communities in Konkoso ward of Borgu Local Government Area, unleashing violence that also left buildings razed and a police station destroyed.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, comes barely a week after political and traditional leaders in the area issued a Save-Our-Soul appeal to the Federal Government, requesting the establishment of a military base to halt recurring attacks by armed groups.

Local sources said seven of the victims were singled out and killed during the raid. The gunmen reportedly stormed Nkpaso first, moving from house to house before carrying out the killings. Residents said the attackers numbered more than 200.

During the assault, the invaders set ablaze the police station in Konkoso after officers on duty reportedly fled. There was no immediate report of weapons being carted away from the facility.

Witnesses added that several houses were burned and shops looted as residents fled in different directions to escape the violence.

According to a community source, the attack may be linked to recent appeals by local leaders urging federal authorities to deploy troops to the troubled communities.

“They told the people that the government cannot protect them and that they are wasting their time seeking help. They said the people should find a way of making peace with them instead,” the source said.

The source further alleged that the attackers described the killings as a warning to residents and threatened further assaults.

Last week, leaders from across Borgu kingdom, covering Borgu and Agwara local government areas, appealed to the Federal Government to urgently deploy security personnel to the region, describing the security situation as alarming and frightening.

Speaking on behalf of community stakeholders, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said residents were living like refugees in their own communities due to repeated attacks.

As of the time of filing this report, neither government authorities nor the police command had issued an official statement on the latest incident.