Niger police confirm 14 Islamiya students abducted

…SDP chieftain insists 50 were kidnapped, faults Bago over insecurity By Clare Nnabuike, Minna The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of 14 Islamiya school students by suspected bandits in Rafi Local Government Area of the state, dismissing reports that 50 students were kidnapped. The students were reportedly helping their Mallam harvest maize on a farm when the attackers invaded the area and abducted them.

The incident occurred on Saturday, October 31, 2026, with initial reports identifying the location as Pandogari community. However, the police identified the scene as Tungan-Bako village in Rafi LGA. The Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, said the victims were students of an Islamiya school who had accompanied their teacher to the farm.

In a statement, Abiodun said: “On 31/10/2026 at about 12.30pm, suspected bandits invaded Tungan-Bako village via Rafi LGA and abducted some persons working on the farm. “Report further indicated that the abducted victims were about 14 students of an Islamiya helping their Mallam to harvest maize in the farm, before the incident. “However, joint security rescue efforts are ongoing, future development will be communicated.” An earlier account of the incident said the attackers fired sporadically before taking away the students and the teacher who owned the farm.

The police statement, however, did not specify whether the teacher was among those abducted. But the spokesman for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed (SAN), in the 2027 election, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, insisted that 50 students were abducted. Vatsa, a former publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State and former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, condemned Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago over what he described as the government’s failure to address insecurity in the state.

He alleged that attacks by gunmen had become frequent across Niger State, resulting in killings and kidnappings of innocent residents. Vatsa also accused the state government of failing to adequately equip security agencies to confront the attackers, claiming that operational vehicles and other essential equipment were lacking. “The current situation has overwhelmed the security agencies because this government has failed to properly equip them.

The security agencies in the state lack operational vehicles and other necessary equipment to confront the situation. “The government is only there to issue statements either condemning every attack or condoling with the people over the death of their loved ones by gunmen without any cogent step to address the situation,” he said. The former commissioner further alleged that armoured personnel carriers (APCs) purchased by the state government more than two years ago to support security operations had not been released to security agencies.

He claimed that the vehicles were still parked at the Government House instead of being deployed to areas affected by attacks. Vatsa called on Bago to release the vehicles to security agencies, arguing that their deployment would strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable communities. He also accused the governor of prioritising his 2027 re-election ambition over the security of residents, a claim he made in criticising the government’s handling of the crisis.

The police, meanwhile, said joint security teams were conducting rescue operations to secure the release of the abducted students.