By Stephen Simon
At least 47 farmers have reportedly been abducted by suspected bandits in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, with the kidnappers allegedly demanding ₦2 million for the release of each victim.
The victims were said to have been taken while harvesting groundnuts at Tungan Rimi in the Ma’undu-Beri Ward of the local government area.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday afternoon, with the attackers also abducting some men working on surrounding farms.
Chairman of Mariga Local Government Area, Alhaji Aliyu Bagga Muhamadu, confirmed the incident, saying information available to the council indicated that one of the kidnapped women had delivered a baby while in captivity.
According to the chairman, the abductors had reached out to some relatives of the victims and demanded ₦2 million for the release of each person.
He said security forces, supported by local vigilantes, had been deployed to track the kidnappers and secure the victims’ release.
Muhamadu added that the joint security team encountered the suspected bandits around Alibani village after passing through Kasuwan Garba and Biri. During the encounter, one vigilante was reportedly injured.
Other sources said the armed men were later seen moving through areas between Mangoro and Wamba after reportedly coming from the Dogon Dawa axis.
The attackers were also said to have entered the Bariki Forest, popularly known as Ma’undu, where the victims were suspected to be held.
Some relatives of the abducted persons said they were yet to establish direct contact with their loved ones or receive confirmed information about their location. However, reports indicated that the victims could be inside the Ma’undu Forest.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command provided a different account of the incident, confirming the abduction of more than 20 people at Mukura village in the Kasuwan-Garba District of Mariga Local Government Area.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said in a statement that the incident was reported on September 28 and that the victims were abducted at about 3 p.m. on September 27.
He added that joint security operations aimed at rescuing the victims were still underway.
The conflicting figures provided by the local government chairman and the police could not immediately be reconciled.
While the chairman reported that 47 people were abducted during the groundnut harvest, the police confirmed that more than 20 persons were taken.
Security agencies are continuing efforts to locate and rescue the victims.
