Armed bandits
A wave of tension rippled through Niger State on Tuesday after armed bandits reportedly stormed a secondary school in the Shiroro–Borgu corridor, abducting an unspecified number of students in what security sources describe as a reprisal attack for recent Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes.
According to PRNigeria, the raid unfolded just days after NAF fighter jets pounded several hideouts in the Shiroro axis, killing numerous fighters and two notorious commanders. Security analysts believe the school invasion was carried out in retaliation for the devastating aerial onslaught.
The targeted community sits close to a well-known terrorist sanctuary around the Kainji Dam, one of the most difficult terrains for security forces operating in the North-Central region.
A staff member of the attacked school, who witnessed the chaos, said the intervention of NAF aircraft circling overhead likely prevented a mass abduction.
“We are grateful that the timely arrival of aircraft that were hovering in the air scare the well-armed bandits who quickly escape with some of our students,” the source said, noting that the gunmen were forced to retreat faster than planned.
PRNigeria reports that special forces and ground troops have already been deployed and are tracking the fleeing terrorists in an urgent rescue push.
The latest assault comes on the heels of the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, deepening concerns about the renewed targeting of educational institutions across the North-West and North-Central regions.
Security officials warn that the incident highlights the persistent and evolving threat posed by terror cells and bandit groups who continue to exploit rural vulnerabilities despite ongoing military offensives.
By PRNigeria
