Bandits have kidnapped an unspecified number of farmers at Dnakau village under Erena ward in Shiroro area of Niger State.
The New Daily Prime gathered that the kidnapping was carried out during a midnight raid by the bandits.
The armed bandits stormed the village on foot on 30th November and kidnapped the residents who had already retired to their beds.
A community source who preferred not to be named for security reasons told this newspaper on the telephone that the bandits came into the village at midnight.
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“Yesterday, the 30th of November, 2025, there was an incident that occurred in Dnakau. There was mass abduction during the night”, he told this newspaper via phone call.
“We are not certain of the number because the whole village was scattered. We only confirmed 5 for now. And up to now, people are still coming back home due to how kidnappers arrived”, he added.
The village is close to Erena kilometres away, where the Army is stationed in Erena.
“There is a unit of the army in Erena. There are more than 200 armed hunters under DSS in Galadima before Erena, and there are more than 200 armed DSS from the south,” he told this newspaper.
The source further stated that armed bandits arrived in the village without any sign, on foot, leaving their motorcycle away from the village.
According to him, the village was scattered as I speak, only five abductions can be confirmed.
“Women and children all flee. There were four casualties, and many of them are still in the hospital. But those who sustained injury attempted to run away. That is how they sustained injury”.
Peace deal failed
A discrete source who spoke to this reporter confirmed that the Dnakau residents paid N3.8 million to the bandit group, but didn’t mention the name of the faction.
He further stated that the community would pay the imposed levy annually to be freed from kidnapping and wanton killing.
“During the negotiations as sulhu, 3.800m was imposed by the bandits on the village Dnakau”, he told this reporter. “Most of these villages have no choice but to do the negotiation, to pay for the ransom to enable them to continue their farm
“The villagers have negotiated with the terrorists and collected money as ransom for the villagers. That they will not be attacked again”, he lamented.
Hours after the attack on the Dnakau community, the residents and community leaders held a meeting to discuss further attacks.
The elders met with the bandit group to demand the reason for their attack on their community.
“This morning after the incident, community elders held a meeting with the terrorists to see those who negotiated and collected money”, he said.
“But the terrorists said that they are not aware of the members who attacked the village but they said that they would confirm”
“So, it is like a different group that attacked the village or a faction. We know these bandits. I have seen them when they are kind, I see them when they are hostile, even when they decide to be or show hospitality.
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Police Spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun was not available for comments.
WhatsApp messages and SMS sent to him remained unanswered as of press time.