By Seyi Odewale, with agency report
The Nigerian military on Sunday announced fresh counter-terrorism successes in the North-East and North-West, saying troops had killed a senior insurgent commander in Sambisa Forest in Borno State and neutralised several bandits in Zamfara State.
This came as armed men struck Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, killing one person, abducting residents and burning down a police station and a church.
The armed terrorists reportedly invaded Agwara town in the early hours of Sunday, attacking public facilities and civilian targets in an operation residents said lasted for hours with little resistance.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed that the attack began at about 3:40 a.m. when the gunmen stormed the Agwara Police Station.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said officers on duty engaged the attackers but were eventually overwhelmed.
“The bandits later used suspected dynamite to set the station on fire,” Abiodun said.
He added that the attackers proceeded to the United Missionary Church of Africa (UMCA), where part of the church building was also burnt, before moving into the community and abducting about five persons whose identities were yet to be confirmed.
“The situation is being monitored, and further developments will be communicated,” Abiodun said, noting that investigations had commenced to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
Residents, however, painted a grimmer picture, saying the attackers operated almost unhindered for several hours.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “They came around 3 a.m., and nobody could help us. The police station was burnt, and the officers ran for their lives. We are on our own here.”
Reacting to the incident, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, urged the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Agwara.
“This place has suffered repeated attacks. Without a permanent security presence, these communities will continue to be easy targets,” Yohanna said.
Similarly, Murtala Dantoro, son of the late Emir of Borgu, Haliru Dantoro, said persistent attacks had transformed once-peaceful communities into zones of fear.
“Innocent lives are being lost, farmers have abandoned their farmlands, economic activities have collapsed, and families are fleeing their ancestral homes in search of safety,” Dantoro said.
*Army kills top insurgent in North-East, neutralises many in North-West raids
Even as the Niger attack unfolded, the military announced significant operational gains against insurgents and bandits in other parts of the country.
In Borno State, troops of the Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai said they killed a senior Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, Abu Khalid, described as the group’s second-in-command in the Sambisa axis.
The Theatre Command Media Information Officer, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba said Khalid was killed alongside 10 other fighters during a night operation in Konduga Local Government Area.
“Abu Khalid was a key figure within the terrorist hierarchy, coordinating operations and logistics in the Sambisa axis,” Uba said.
He added that weapons, medical supplies and logistics materials were recovered from the camp, with no casualties recorded among troops.
In Zamfara State, troops of the Nigerian Army under Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA also carried out a coordinated ground and air raid on the camp of notorious bandit leader, Gwaska Dan Karmi, in Maru Local Government Area.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba said the operation followed credible intelligence that over 100 bandits were planning attacks on surrounding communities.
“Many of the bandits were neutralised, while others escaped with gunshot wounds. Their camp was set ablaze,” Osoba said.
He added that the Nigerian Air Force was conducting aerial interdiction missions to intercept fleeing fighters, while ground troops continued to dominate and clear the area.
Despite the military’s reported battlefield gains, security analysts warned that the continued attacks on civilian communities and public infrastructure, such as those recorded in Niger State, highlight persistent gaps in rural security, intelligence gathering and sustained military presence.
They argued that while tactical victories in terrorist camps were significant, the real test remained the ability of
