Niger State Islamic Students Kidnapped

Terrorists have abducted 14 pupils of an Islamic school and their teacher while they were working on a maize farm in Tungan-Bako village, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

The incident occurred on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at about 12:30 p.m. Donjoe Media learnt that the victims were on a farm field when heavily armed men stormed the area and took them away. The attack happened in broad daylight and the victims could not escape.

Residents said the gunmen came in large number and fired sporadically before taking the 15 victims away. Tungan-Bako is a rural community where families depend on farming, and the area has witnessed repeated attacks by bandits.

Rafi Local Government Area shares borders with several troubled communities and has thick forests that bandits use as hideouts. The area is close to Kamuku National Park, which makes patrol difficult for security agents. Police patrol vehicles cannot easily enter the forest, and this gives kidnappers advantage to hide hostages.

Villagers said bandits have been monitoring farms to abduct farmers for ransom. The attack on school pupils has created fear among parents, with many afraid to send their children to school or to the farm.

The attack is a double blow to the community. It has disrupted Islamic education as parents have withdrawn their children from schools, and it has also affected farming because farmers are abandoning mature crops for fear of attack. Residents said losing a harvest season means losing their main source of income, and some families are forced to sell land to pay ransom.

The Niger State Police Command has deployed anti-kidnapping units to Tungan-Bako after the incident. The team is working with local vigilantes who know the terrain. The combined team is combing forests and tracking the route used by the kidnappers.

The Nigerian Army is also supporting the search with surveillance and clearance operations around known bandit routes in Rafi. Security sources said drone surveillance is being used to locate camps in the forest.

Rescuing hostages from the forest is risky because bandits often use victims as human shields during gun battles. Security agencies said they are applying caution to avoid harming the pupils and their teacher.

Local vigilantes in the area have continued to support the operation with intelligence and manpower, despite having only local weapons. Traditional leaders in Rafi are also helping to coordinate information and support for the security teams.

Community leaders said the state government needs to establish permanent security bases near farming communities and provide equipment for vigilantes to help protect villages.

Parents of the abducted pupils are appealing to the government to rescue their children quickly. They said the children are young and need urgent medical care after the trauma of being taken into the bush.

Stakeholders in Niger State have called for more security deployment to Rafi and other high-risk areas in the state. They also want the Federal Government to target the funding sources of bandit groups and improve intelligence gathering.

The attack has affected farming and schooling in Tungan-Bako and nearby villages. Residents said they need long-term security presence, not just temporary patrol after attacks.

As at press time, search and rescue operations are ongoing in the forests of Rafi LGA. Police authorities said they will give update once more information is available.

Official security updates can be confirmed from the https://www.npf.gov.ng/.

Also read Benue State Mourner Abduction: Gunmen Kidnap Six, Abandon Corpse

By Jonadab Oluikpe
Publish by Donjoe Media