Fresh terror attacks rock Kwara, Niger as communities flee, Obi slams ‘Normalisation of Killings’

By Johnson Arua

Barely 48 hours after terrorists killed more than 40 people in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas of Niger State, suspected gunmen struck again, attacking travellers on the Isanlu–Isin–Omu Aran road in Kwara State and abducting at least four persons.

The Kwara attack occurred in the early hours of yesterday when armed men ambushed motorists along the busy highway linking parts of Kwara South to the state capital, Ilorin.

Sources said the attackers blocked the road, forced vehicles to stop and whisked some passengers away to unknown locations.

A local source disclosed that the gunmen operated freely, warning that bandits remain heavily active in the area and are targeting travellers heading towards Ilorin.

As of press time, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident or rescue efforts.

The latest abduction adds to growing insecurity in Kwara State, which has recorded several high-profile kidnapping incidents in recent months.

In November 2025, gunmen attacked a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others during a mid-week service.

In Niger State, suspected terrorists also attacked a Nigeria Police Border Patrol outpost at New Kalli village in Borgu LGA around midnight yesterday. The assailants reportedly set the police facility ablaze and destroyed farm produce belonging to residents before fleeing.

Confirming the incident, Niger State Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said officers engaged the attackers in a gun battle and successfully repelled them, although the security post was damaged by fire. He added that normalcy had been restored and reinforcements deployed to the area.

Meanwhile, fear has gripped communities in Agwara and Borgu LGAs as residents flee their ancestral homes following last weekend’s deadly attacks. Locals cited rumours of fresh planned assaults and the absence of sustained security presence as reasons for their displacement.

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed the mass movement, with its Director of Communications, Rev. Father Matthew Kabirat, stating that parishioners and priests were relocating due to credible threats of further attacks.

He lamented that both Christians and Muslims, including women and children, were among those killed or kidnapped.

Reacting to the killings, former Anambra State governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, condemned what he described as the growing normalisation of mass killings in Nigeria. He urged the Federal Government to adopt a coordinated and decisive approach to halt the worsening insecurity across the country.

Similarly, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, described the Niger attacks as barbaric and inhuman, assuring residents of Niger State of the ruling party’s support. He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to defeating terrorism and restoring peace nationwide.