The former Chairman of the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Alhassan Bawa Niworo, has been kidnapped.

Niworo was reportedly kidnapped along several other travellers around 4pm on Monday, September 29, 2025.

Their attackers struck between Felegi and Ibi communities on Mokwa-New Bussa road in Borgu LGA.

Sources said the former Chairman of SUBEB along side other people including one Barrister Ahmad were on their way to Minna when the terrorists blocked the road and whiskered them into the nearby forest.

Several other abductees were said to be traders returning from New Bussa weekly market.

How villages Allegedly Shield Terrorists

Some of the kidnapped victims who regained freedom on Friday after payment of millions of naira ransom told Daily Trust that their captors were shielded by a few villages where they used as camps.

A victim said one of the villages was Telle village in Mashegu LGA. Other villages alleged to have been used as camps include Koloho, and Fanga.

Our Correspondent could not independently verify if the listed villages provide shield under duress.

But Daily Trust recalls that in May 2025, Security Operatives Arrest Village Head of Guiwa, Garba Mohammed and 13 Others from Telle and other Villages in Mashegu, Borgu, Rijau among other LGAs for Aiding Banditry in Niger State.

The village head, according to the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command was arrested alongside 13 others following an intelligence report about their alleged involvement with bandits.

Community leaders reportedly used his residence as a hideout, where bandits regularly met to plan their operations.

Abiodun said the arrests followed clearance operations targeting bandits’ and kidnappers’ hideouts in the Mashegu area on Thursday and Friday.

“On 22nd May, 2025, police operatives and vigilante members conducted clearance operations in some identified kidnappers’ hideouts in Mashegu LGA, such as Magaman-Daji forest and its environs, and in the process, most of the suspected kidnappers fled from the scene and others were believed to have escaped with gunshot injuries.

“On 23rd May, 2025 at about 9 a.m., in continuation of this operation, the team stormed Guiwa and Telle villages based on credible information received, and the Mai-Angwan of Guiwa village, Mall. Garba Mohammed, was arrested for screening and aiding banditry activities, using his house as a hideout with recovery of four motorcycles kept in his custody and ten cattle.

” Thirteen others were also arrested in different locations within Mashegu LGA for similar reasons. However, they are under interrogation and investigation is in progress to ascertain their roles and involvement in banditry activities in the area,” Abiodun explained.

Although the police spokesperson did not provide the names of the other suspects, sources identified other suspects as Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu of Wawa village, Borgu LGA; Umar Abubakar of Gwajibo; Musa Mohammed of Telle village; Mohammed Abubakar of Dukku, Rijau LGA; Molema Aliyu of Pallagi; Oro Abubakar of Arera; Shehu Alhaji Ardo of Adogon Mallam; Umar Abdullahi, Ibrahim Abubakar, Saidu Mohammed, and Babuga Abdullahi—all of Lumma; Mohamadu Bako of Gwajibo; and Babuga Saidu of Lumma.

In the latest attacks, Residents told Daily Trust that the Telle and neighbouring villages had become notorious for aiding and abetting attacks in the area.

“Recently, the Telle village gained attention due to a security operations where authorities arrested the village head of a neighboring village, Guiwa, and 13 other individuals for allegedly aiding and abetting armed bandits.

“So, Telle village is situated in the Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State. The village has been affected by banditry activities, with residents experiencing attacks, theft of livestock, and abductions, one of the sources said.

Many Farmers Flee as attacks persist

Residents of farming communities in Mariga, Magama, Kontagora, Mashegu, Borgu and Rijau LGAs in the Niger North Senatorial District of Niger State have continued to flee their homes for the past five days due to renewed attacks on their communities and constant movement of bandits in the area for the past five days.

In the wee hours on Tuesday, residents told our Correspondent that bandits numbering over 200 invaded Ibeto, a community in Magama LGA, forcing the residents to flee.

In a video shared by one of the residents, women and children walked through dark paths with torchlights to escape in the wee hours on Tuesday.

“Yesterday night (Monday), they crossed to communities including Dogon-Daji, Ugulu, Maira, Atabo and Ibeto. They also invaded Lioji village before crossing to Maira, Ugulu, Atabo and Ibeto. At Atabo, many residents were kidnapped when they couldn’t get cattle to rustle “, he said.

He said residents of Ibeto fled their homes in the night before bandits eventually took over the community.

Sporadic gunshots were reportedly heard when they invaded Ibeto but fleeing residents could not establish if there were casualties.

Another source said, “They entered Magama this morning (Tuesday) before proceeding to Yangale where they kidnapped four people. They were in groups. We are currently in the Bush with children and women. Please help us with prayers. We need help”.

Also on Saturday afternoon, bandits numbering over a hundred reportedly invaded Talle, a village in the Kulho ward of Mashegu LGA of Niger State.

The fleeing residents told Daily Trust that the attackers arrived at the village around 2pm on Monday, and ordered all shop owners in the community to close their businesses.

One of the residents said the bandits also blocked all access routes into the village, preventing entry and exit except few others who took risk and escaped.

Daily Trust also gathered that residents of Ragada and adjoining communities in Mariga LGA have fled their homes since Sunday following the movement of bandits in the area.

On of the residents told Daily Trust they slept on mountains despite rainfall and watch bandits cooking food in their homes.

On Saturday afternoon, dozens of travellers were also reportedly kidnapped along Kontagora -Rijau road.

The Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry for Homeland security did not pick calls or reply text messages sent to his phone over the development.

But the police spokesperson confirmed the attack on Ibbi-New Bussa road but was silent on other attacks.

He said one of the policemen on patrol was injured and a patrol vehicle was damaged while repelling the attackers.

According to him, “On 29th Sept., 2025 at about 11.30am, suspected armed men attacked the Police nipping point along Ibbi-Bussa road, the Police tactical team engaged and repelled the hoodlums, and in the process, the Police patrol vehicle was damaged with gunshots, while one of the Policemen sustained gunshot injury and he was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment”. (Daily Trust)