Bandits have launched another deadly attack in Palaita community, Erena Ward, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting 24 people, including pregnant women, from a rice farm.

A source in the community said the attackers struck at about 2:00pm on Wednesday while residents were harvesting their crops.

Despite Palaita being only five kilometres from a military base in Erena, the bandits reportedly escaped with the victims before security personnel could respond.

In a separate incident earlier that day, another group of armed men invaded the Kakuru community, also in Erena Ward, where they brutalised a blind resident and severed his right hand after taking a mobile phone from him.

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The attackers, who arrived at about 8:00 am, met only the visually impaired man at home, as other residents had gone to their farms.

The victim reportedly explained that the phone did not belong to him but to a neighbour who had gone to the farm. The bandits, angered by his response, seized the phone and amputated his right hand.

He is currently receiving first aid at a patent medicine shop in the Kuduru community.

The Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said efforts are being made to rescue the victims.

“On November 26, 2025, at about 8pm, a report was received indicating that suspected armed men abducted about ten persons from Angwan-Kawo and Kuchipa villages of Shiroro Local Government Area,” Abiodun said while confirming the incident. “Effort is being made to rescue the victims.”

The latest attack comes barely a week after gunmen abducted over 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on Friday.

The incident occurred amidst a severe national security crisis in the last few days in some northern states marked by frequent kidnappings for ransom.