Over 100 Armed Bandits Attack Munya LGA Communities in Niger State, Leaving Scores Dead and Hundreds of Cattle Rustled
More than 100 heavily armed bandits raided three communities in the Munya Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, leaving a trail of devastation.
The targeted villages—Zagzaga, Chibani, and Kuchi—were assaulted in coordinated strikes between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., resulting in the death of several villagers and the theft of over 200 heads of cattle.
Eyewitnesses and local sources confirmed that the assailants moved unchallenged from one village to another, executing their operations with military-like precision. The invaders burned houses and looted food supplies, forcing residents—many of them women and children—to flee into the surrounding bushes for safety. The exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed, but it is believed that dozens were killed in the unprovoked onslaught.
According to sources in the affected communities, the attackers had assembled for hours before launching the offensive. They were first sighted gathering at Kusasu, a community in the neighboring Shiroro Local Government Area, which shares a border with Munya. Locals who noticed the mass movement of the gunmen quickly raised the alarm.
“We informed one of our contacts in Minna to notify the authorities about the presence of the bandits in Kusasu,” a source told Sun Newspaper. “They were there in the bush for over five hours before launching the attacks. The people saw them, but they were many in number and were riding on motorcycles. Nothing was done to stop them.”
As the bandits stormed Kuchi community, they reportedly set fire to a camp belonging to the Joint Security Taskforce. According to reports, members of the taskforce fled upon learning the scale of the invasion. “They abandoned the camp and took to their heels when they were informed of the number of the bandits,” said a resident.
Interestingly, amid the chaos in Kuchi, one of the bandits died under mysterious circumstances. The body was abandoned by his fellow attackers, and no one could confirm the cause of his death.
In response to the massacre, Niger State’s Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maj-General Bello Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd), stated that he was yet to receive an official report but confirmed knowledge of an incident involving bandit attacks in the region.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication, Media and Strategy, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, issued a strong condemnation of the attack. Describing the incident as “barbaric, wicked, and inhuman,” he expressed deep sorrow over the persistent insecurity plaguing communities in the state. “Despite all efforts by the government to combat insecurity, these enemies of the people continue to unleash terror on innocent villagers,” he lamented.
Vatsa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to confronting security challenges across the state. He also highlighted the role of local informants in undermining state security efforts.
“The activities of local informants have frustrated all attempts by the government and security agencies to bring the situation under control,” he said. “Nonetheless, we will not relent in our efforts to defeat these criminal elements and restore peace to our communities.”
As residents begin to mourn the loss of their loved ones and assess the extent of destruction, the call for swift and decisive government action has grown louder, with community leaders and citizens demanding enhanced protection and the prosecution of those responsible.