Armed men suspected to be marauding bandits on Sunday morning attacked Sokombara community in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, setting ablaze a police station and a United Methodist Church (UMC).
The News Chronicle gathered that the attackers also killed an elderly woman, abducted five residents, and looted foodstuffs and other valuables belonging to villagers during the raid.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the bandits invaded the community and launched an assault on the police station.
According to him, “Armed bandits invaded Agwara community and attacked the police station, where they were engaged by the tactical team on ground. The attackers used suspected dynamite to set the station ablaze after overpowering the team.”
He added that the assailants later moved to the UMC church in the community, where they burnt part of the building before proceeding to other areas.
“The terrorists abducted about five persons whose identities are yet to be ascertained. Monitoring continues, and further developments will be communicated,” Abiodun said.
Security agencies have continued surveillance in the area as efforts are underway to track down the perpetrators and rescue the abducted victims.
Details later….
