Attackers Set Ablaze Church and Police Station in Niger

Terrorists have once again attacked Niger State, killing one person, abducting five others, and setting fire to a church building and a police station in Agwarra Local Government Area.

During the attack, the assailants reportedly razed the United Missionary Church of Africa in Agwarra and also torched the local police station. The church was said to have been set ablaze around 6 a.m., after which the attackers moved to Sokonba village, which borders Kabe, a community that was recently targeted.

The attackers allegedly looted food items and other valuables before killing an elderly woman in Kabe town and abducting five individuals. Speaking on Sunday, the son of the late Emir, Murtala Dantoro, said the repeated attacks had transformed previously peaceful communities into areas marked by fear and uncertainty.

According to him, innocent lives are being lost, farmers are abandoning their farmlands, economic activities have stalled, and families are fleeing their homes in search of safety. He described the attacks as persistent and escalating, blaming the situation on the absence of a permanent and well-equipped military presence in Agwarra.

He appealed to both the state and federal governments to intervene urgently, warning that the continued security vacuum had emboldened criminals to operate with little resistance, worsening the humanitarian and economic crisis in the area. He added that Agwarra, a strategic part of Niger State, had suffered multiple attacks in recent times, noting that continued neglect posed serious risks to residents and neighbouring communities.

Also reacting, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, urged the Federal Government, the Nigerian Army, and other security agencies to establish a permanent military formation in Agwarra.

He said a stationed military presence was essential to deter criminal activity, restore confidence among residents, enable displaced persons to return home, and allow farmers to safely resume farming. He stressed that peace and security were fundamental to development, warning that without decisive action, meaningful progress would remain impossible.

The bishop expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, noting that armed groups now move freely without challenge, while the rule of law has weakened across Borgu and surrounding areas. He warned that continued attacks risk turning the once-peaceful Borgu Emirate into a haven for terrorists.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack, stating that police operatives engaged the attackers, who reportedly used suspected dynamite to set the police station on fire.

According to him, the incident occurred in the early hours of February 1, 2026, when armed men invaded Agwarra and attacked the police station. He said the attackers overpowered officers on duty, burned part of the station, later moved to the church, and abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be confirmed. He added that security monitoring in the area is ongoing.

The attack comes just over two months after terrorists abducted 315 pupils from a school in Papiri, Niger State.