Armed bandits disguised in hijabs, carried out an operation in the Melehe community of Kontagora local council of Niger State on Friday, September 5, 2025, between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm.

Our Correspondent reports that at approximately 11:00 pm, they removed their hijabs and attacked the house of a school principal, abducting him along with a Fulani woman named Runtoje Aminu.

A source from the community disclosed that the attackers had disguised themselves in hijabs, pretended to be ordinary women as they sat at the entrance of the victims’ residence, before attacking and taking him away.

The source further explained that the people of the community were still in shock, describing the activities of bandits in the area as frequent and unchallenged. The people are calling on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims and protect rural communities from further attacks.

The people lamented that incidents of kidnapping and banditry have become increasingly common in the rural areas. They, however, appealed to the Niger State government to act swiftly and come to their aid to save their lives and property.

Efforts to reach out to the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, for comment were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the Niger State government is yet to make an official statement concerning the attack. (The Guardian)