Suspected bandits have kidnapped Ahmed Mohammed, a commissioner with the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission, and Alhaji Bawa Niworo, a former chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, along the Mokwa–New Bussa highway in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State.
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The police command confirmed the incident, stating that the attackers stormed a police nipping point on the Ibbi–Bussa road, sparking a fierce gun battle. Despite the resistance, the assailants blocked the road and abducted passengers from three vehicles. A police patrol van was riddled with bullets during the clash, while one officer sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said tactical teams, in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilantes, have been mobilized to pursue the abductors and rescue the victims.
In a related operation, the command’s Special Task Team carried out a clearance mission in Kokolo forest after receiving intelligence on criminal hideouts. During the raid, three suspected kidnappers were gunned down, while others escaped with injuries. One kidnapped victim was also rescued.
Banditry continues to ravage parts of Niger and the northwest region, leading to mass abductions, killings, and displacement. The federal government has since designated bandit groups as terrorists and pledged to intensify security efforts to tackle the menace.
