Bandits kill six youths, Kainji Lake National Park staff in Niger Forest clash

The community of Wawa in Borgu Local Government Area has been thrown into mourning after six youths were confirmed dead following a deadly clash with suspected bandits in the forest.

It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Thursday when the youths mobilised to confront the bandits in the bush.

It was learnt that the violence erupted after a prominent youth was attacked on his farm, prompting others to mobilise and confront the assailants in the forest.

Sources from the Wawa community told our correspondent that while some of the youths returned safely, others were declared missing, just as six of them were killed by the bandits during the confrontation.

A source, Mohammed Hassan, said security operatives later recovered six unidentified bodies from the scene, which were taken to the Primary Health Centre in Wawa.

It was further gathered that among those killed was a staff member of the Kainji Lake National Park, whose body was allegedly carried away by the bandits into the forest.

Residents described the incident as heartbreaking, leaving families and the community in deep pain, fear and trauma.

Decrying the incessant attacks in the area, they said the tragedy adds to the growing wave of insecurity in Borgu and Agwara Local Government Areas, where armed bandits and terrorists have repeatedly attacked villages, markets and farms, leaving dozens dead and many displaced.

They appealed to both the federal and state governments to urgently deploy security forces and establish a permanent military outpost to curb the violence and restore peace.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Police Command proved futile, as the Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

Also, the chairman of Borgu Local Government Area, Abdullahi Mohammed Nasiru, has yet to respond after promising to get back.