Bandits kill 6 in Niger, Sokoto communities

…As Army intensifies clearance operations in Kwara, Niger

By Demola Akinyemi & Musa Ubandawaki

No fewer than six persons were killed by bandits at Damala village in Woko district of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and Darusa, a border community in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, weekend.

Among those killed were two Bureau de Change, BDC, operators in the border community market with Niger Republic. They were shot by Lakurawa bandits who carted away money in both local and foreign currencies.

The killings came as the Nigerian Army has intensified clearance and internal security actions across parts of Kwara and Niger states, with a view  to containing banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in the North Central region.

The attack in Niger State, which occured in the early hours of Saturday, January 10, comes barely a week after gunmen killed 42 residents in several communities in Borgu and neighbouring Agwara LGAs.

Niger State police command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed this in a statement yesterday, said the attackers stormed the village, rustled an unspecified number of cattle, and killed four residents during the attack.

He said the gunmen also set several shops in the community ablaze before fleeing the scene.

Abiodun, a Superintendent of Police, stated that security agencies promptly responded to the incident and had since visited the affected area.

The police scribe added that a clearance operation was currently ongoing, while security monitoring had been intensified to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety of residents.

He assured the public that efforts were being sustained to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy in the area.

Bandits have frequently carried out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in the North-Central and North-Western parts of the country.

Niger State has been one of the hardest hit in recent months. Other states affected include Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Kebbi and Zamfara.

Lakurawa kills 2 BDC operators in Sokoto border market

In Sokoto, grief enveloped Darusa, a border community in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State, after suspected Lakurawa gunmen attacked the weekly market and killed two BDC or currency exchange operators, carting away large sums of money.

The deadly assault, which occurred weekend, has left families shattered and traders afraid, underscoring the growing human cost of insecurity in Nigeria’s rural and border communities.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived at the bustling Darusa market on four motorcycles, with two armed men on each bike, openly wielding rifles and sowing panic among traders and customers.

According to a resident who spoke to journalists, the gunmen headed straight for the currency dealers and shot them at close range without provocation.

The victims, identified as Alhaji Ummaru Darusa and Muhammad Sani, were well known in the market for their foreign exchange business that served traders from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger Republic.

“They killed Alhaji Ummaru and Muhammad Sani on the spot, then packed all the money they were using for their business and disappeared,” the resident recounted in anguish.

Darusa market lies along the Nigeria–Niger border and serves as a commercial hub where traders from both countries converge, making the loss of the two men not just personal but deeply communal.

One of the slain traders, Muhammad Sani, was said to be a Nigerien national who held official trading recognition in Niger Republic but conducted his exchange business regularly in Darusa.

Locals believe the attackers had been monitoring Alhaji Ummaru for some time, waiting for an opportunity to strike and escape with cash in both Nigerian and foreign currencies, believed to be substantial.

Community members lamented the absence of adequate security presence in the area and appealed to authorities to intensify patrols to protect lives and livelihoods.

The Lakurawa gunmen, residents said, have for years operated with little restraint across parts of Gudu and neighbouring Tangaza Local Government Area, instilling fear and violence on rural communities.

Confirming the incident, Sokoto State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Rufa’i, said one of the victims died instantly, while the other succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to Dogon Daji Hospital.

Army intensifies clearance operations in Kwara, Niger

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has intensified clearance and internal security actions across parts of Kwara and Niger states, to contain banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in North Central region.

The Commander, Headquarters 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Nicholas Rume, who disclosed this during the 2025 Nigerian Army Social Activities, NASA, held at the Sobi Cantonment, Ilorin, weekend, also assured residents of the affected states of the Army’s readiness to sustain collaboration with other security agencies to ensure peace and stability.

According to him, he explained that the brigade has sustained several military operations within its Area of Responsibility, AOR, targeting criminal elements operating in border communities and forest reserves.

He listed the operations to include Operation Fansan Yamma; Operation Harmony in Kwara State; and the recently concluded Operation Park Strike IV and V, which covered Kainji Lake National Park, adjoining villages in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, as well as Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas of Kwara State.

“Year 2025 saw 22 Armoured Brigade conducting a number of clearance operations, such as Operation Park Strike IV and V which covered Kainji Lake National Park and its adjoining villages and the general areas of Borgu LGA in Niger State, Kaiama and Baruten LGAs of Kwara State,” Rume said.

He also said Operation Fansan Yamma was currently ongoing to flush out bandits and restore peace across affected communities.

The brigade commander explained that the Army had also strengthened its operational presence through the establishment of Forward Operating Bases, FOBs, in Patigi and Ilemona, as well as patrol bases in Babasango, Gada and Daban Lema, to support security operations within Kwara and neighbouring states.

“These bases complement our operations in neighbouring states and enhance our response to security threats,” he said.

Rume also noted that the Nigerian Army’s internal security operations were necessitated by rising threats such as terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery, which had continued to affect parts of the North Central zone.

On the army’s collaboration with other security agencies to ensure peace and stability, he said:  “I assure you all of the readiness of 22 Armoured Brigade to collaborate with all security agencies towards achieving peace and security in our area of responsibility,”

Also,speaking at the event, Kwara State governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, commended the Nigerian Army, particularly the 22 Armoured Brigade, for its role in curbing insecurity in the state.

Represented by the Special Adviser on Security Matters, Brigadier General Saliu Tunde Bello, retd, the governor described the military’s efforts as critical to safeguarding lives and livelihoods, noting that collaboration between the state government and the Army had yielded positive results.

“I applaud the relentless efforts of the 22 Armoured Brigade and the Nigerian Army in combating these challenges. Your bravery and determination in restoring peace and order are commendable, and it is evident that your hard work is making a tangible difference in our state,” AbdulRazaq said.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the military with necessary logistics and cooperation to strengthen ongoing operations.

“The military and the state government’s collaboration has yielded positive results, and I want to reassure you of my unwavering commitment to this partnership,” the governor added.

AbdulRazaq also expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General W. Shaibu, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for their leadership and support to the armed forces.

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