Bandits have again raided Agwara local government area of Niger state, setting ablaze the divisional police station and a church, and abducting about five villagers.
The incident happened in the same area where about 300 pupils, students and teachers of St. Mary’s Catholic School were abducted last year.
The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday, as the assailants overrun the Agwara Police Station and later set ablaze the United Methodist Church in the community.
Police public relations officer in the state, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits invaded the police station at about 3:40 a.m. and overpowered a police tactical team engaged that engaged them.
He said the bandits used suspected dynamite to set the police station ablaze before moving to the church, where they burnt part of the building.
According to him, the attackers later proceeded to other parts of the community and abducted about five persons, whose identities were yet to be ascertained.
An eyewitness said the bandits arrived the town around 2 a.m., parked their motorcycles a few kilometres away and trekked into the community. He said they first attacked the police station, forcing the few officers on duty to flee before setting the facility on fire.
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