*Deploy tactical teams alongside military personnel to track abductors
By Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Niger State Police Command has deployed tactical teams alongside military personnel to rescue more than 100 residents abducted by suspected terrorists in Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were abducted when the assailants invaded Maburya community, near Bangi, on Saturday night.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community, shooting sporadically into the air before taking the residents into the surrounding forest.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday, the spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said the number of victims remained unspecified.
Abiodun said, “On 13/9/2026 at about 8 pm, a report was received from Bangi Division indicating that suspected bandits invaded Maburya village via Bangi and abducted an unspecified number of victims, later releasing elderly and pregnant women, including nursing mothers, while others were taken away.
“Police and military tactical teams have been deployed to the location, while rescue efforts are intensified. Further developments will be made available to the public.”
Meanwhile, a local source claimed that about 100 of the abducted residents were released on Tuesday morning, leaving three others in captivity. The source said the remaining victims were also expected to be released.
However, the police did not confirm the reported release.
A security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the incident, attributed the security challenges in the area partly to its proximity to the expansive Kainji Lake National Park and other forest reserves.
According to the source, the vast forested areas provide hideouts for terrorists and make it difficult for security agencies to track and engage the attackers.
The Maburya attack is the latest in a series of mass abductions recorded across Niger State.
In August, more than 500 residents were reportedly abducted from communities in Borgu Local Government Area, with the victims still being held by the terrorists at the time of filing this report.
he latest incident has renewed concerns over the growing insecurity in communities bordering the state’s vast forests and protected areas, with residents calling for sustained security operations to prevent further attacks.
