Terrorists burn church, police station in Niger attack

Terrorists have again attacked Niger State, killing one person, abducting five others, and setting ablaze a church building and a police station in Agwarra Local Government Area.

The attackers reportedly burned down the United Missionary Church of Africa in Agwarra and also torched the police station in the area during the assault.

PUNCH reliably learnt that the assailants set the church on fire at about 6 am before moving to Sokonba village, which shares a border with Kabe, a community that was attacked recently.

The terrorists were said to have carted away food items and other valuables before killing an elderly woman in Kabe town and abducting five persons.

The son of the late Emir, Murtala Dantoro, who spoke on Sunday, said repeated attacks had turned once-peaceful communities into zones of fear and uncertainty.

He said, “Innocent lives are being lost, farmers are abandoning their farmlands, economic activities have collapsed, and families are forced to flee their homes in search of safety.

“These attacks are not isolated incidents; they are persistent and escalating. The absence of a permanent and well-equipped military formation in Agwarra has left the people vulnerable and exposed.

The state and federal governments must come to our aid urgently before these terrorists chase us out of our homeland.”

Dantoro added that the security vacuum created by the absence of a permanent military presence had emboldened criminals, who now operate with little or no resistance, worsening the humanitarian and economic situation in the area.

He noted that Agwarra, a strategic part of Niger State, had suffered several attacks in recent times, warning that its continued neglect posed serious risks not only to residents but also to neighbouring communities.

Also reacting, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army, and other security agencies to establish a permanent military formation in Agwarra.

He said, “This is not a luxury; it is a necessity. A visible, stationed military presence will deter criminal activities, restore confidence among residents, enable displaced persons to return home, and allow farmers to safely return to their farms.

“Enough is enough. The people of Agwarra deserve peace, protection, and the right to live without fear. Security is the foundation of development, and without it, no meaningful progress can be achieved.

“Agwarra deserves peace and development. The time to act is now. We are concerned about the security situation and wonder why there has been no permanent action.

These terrorists now move freely without challenge. Presently, the rule of law no longer functions in Borgu and its axis. They roam freely, both day and night, without being challenged.

“As I speak, these terrorists are gradually turning the once-peaceful Borgu Emirate into a ‘terrorist emirate’ by killing people, forcing many to flee, and coercing some into becoming informants.”

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack, saying police operatives engaged the terrorists, who reportedly used dynamite to set the police station ablaze.

He said, “On February 1, 2026, at about 3.40 am, bandits invaded Agwarra community and attacked the police station, where they were engaged by the tactical team on the ground. The attackers overpowered the team and used suspected dynamite to set the station ablaze.

“The terrorists later moved to the UMC church in the community, burnt part of the church, proceeded to other areas, and abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be ascertained. Monitoring continues.”

The incident comes a little over two months after terrorists abducted 315 pupils from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State.