Bandit Attacks Force Niger Community Residents to Abandon Homes

Garam, situated along the border of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has faced continuous assaults by bandits since December 24, 2023.

On Saturday, December 24, bandits carried out an attack on the Garam community, located just a short five-minute drive from Bwari. During this assault, they fatally targeted a pastor affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God and kidnapped 13 others.

On Thursday, December 28, bandits bandits once more targeted Kuduru within the FCT, abducting a total of 18 people.

Similarly, on Friday, December 29, bandits attacked Azu, resulting in the deaths of three people and the kidnapping of eight others.

However, as a result of the continuous attacks, residents of the community chose not to observe the crossover service on December 31st.

A resident of the community, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that most churches in the area held the crossover service between 5 pm and 8 pm, while a small number of churches with sufficient security measures observed the service between 10 pm and 4 am.

The source also mentioned that on January 2, 2024, the bandits came back, kidnapping an entire family. They noted that the soldiers stationed in Azu, a neighboring community, arrived after the bandits had already left.

The resident said: “Due to the fear of bandits, most churches did not observe crossover service on December 31st. Some churches observe the service between 5 pm and 8 pm. It was only MFM that observed the service from 11 pm till 4 am.
Though soldiers patrol the community during the day, it has not stopped bandits from attacking the people at night.

“On January 2, an Igala man was attacked and the bandits kidnapped his whole family. They came with their tools to force the gate of the house open. They operated for 2 to 3 hours. The sound of their gun forced the vigilante to flee. The soldiers arrived after they had left.”

Another resident stated that a significant number of people are leaving Garam in large numbers, while those who constructed homes there have sought shelter elsewhere.

He conveyed that the vast community is gradually becoming deserted, indicating a perception that the military might be running short of effective strategies to control the activities of the bandits.

The source further added that it seems the bandits are specifically targeting individuals who own cars, potentially assuming they can secure ransom payments more easily if they are kidnapped.

Kanyi Daily recalls that seven persons had been killed and five others abducted by bandits who attacked some communities in Goronyo and Sabon Birni Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.