Bandits Attack Niger Lawmaker’s Convoy, Kill Soldier
Armed bandits suspected to have ties with Sahel-based extremist groups have ambushed the convoy of a member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Jafaru, who represents Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency of Niger State.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon along the Lumma–Babanna Road in Borgu Local Government Area, left one soldier dead and several others injured. The convoy was said to be returning from an official engagement when it came under heavy gunfire from the assailants.
According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen, who were heavily armed, opened fire from both sides of the road, targeting the vehicles in the convoy.
Security operatives attached to the lawmaker reportedly engaged the attackers in a fierce gun duel that lasted several minutes before reinforcements from a nearby military base arrived.
“The attack was sudden and coordinated. They were many, and they seemed to know the route very well,” a local source who spoke under anonymity said.
A military source in the area confirmed the incident, noting that one soldier was killed in the exchange while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The lawmaker reportedly escaped unhurt.
The Lumma–Babanna axis, which borders Benin Republic, has in recent years become a notorious corridor for the movement of armed groups linked to Sahel-based extremists operating across Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Security agencies have repeatedly warned that the region’s porous borders and difficult terrain make it a haven for bandits and terrorists fleeing military operations in the North-West.
Efforts to reach the Niger State Police Command for an official comment were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. However, security sources disclosed that a joint military-police operation has been launched to track down the attackers and secure the area.
This latest incident underscores the growing insecurity in parts of Niger State, where banditry, kidnapping, and extremist incursions continue to threaten lives, economic activities, and cross-border trade
