An attack was launched on a rice farm in the Palaita community, Erena Ward, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, where 24 farmers — including pregnant women — were abducted during harvest time.
The raid occurred at about 2:00 pm on Wednesday, while workers were harvesting their crops. However, despite the farm being just five kilometres from a military base, the assailants managed to escape with the victims before security forces could respond.
Earlier that same day, a separate group of armed men invaded the Kakuru community in the same ward. They confronted a blind man at home, demanded his mobile phone, and after he attempted to say it belonged to a neighbour, his right hand was cruelly severed. The victim is now reportedly receiving first aid at a medicine shop in the nearby Kuduru community.
The local police command has been notified about the incidents, and efforts are reportedly being made to rescue the abducted victims.
These two violent episodes add to a growing wave of kidnappings and attacks in rural parts of northern Nigeria, particularly in farming communities. Many residents of those areas are now living in fear, and calls for improved security measures have intensified.