Terrorists Storm Village, Kill Residents, Abduct Women and Children as Communities Cry for Help

Terrorists Storm Village, Kill Residents, Abduct Women and Children as Communities Cry for Help

June 13, 2026

A fresh wave of terror has swept through parts of Niger State after suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched a devastating attack on Pissa community in Borgu Local Government Area, leaving an unspecified number of residents dead, many others abducted, and scores of homes reduced to ashes.

The deadly invasion, which began in the early hours of Saturday, has plunged the rural community into chaos and fear, with survivors describing scenes of horror as heavily armed terrorists overwhelmed local vigilantes and moved freely through the village.

According to local sources, the attackers, estimated to be more than 100 in number, stormed Pissa in a coordinated assault, firing indiscriminately, setting houses ablaze, and forcefully taking away women and children.

Witnesses said the insurgents also issued threats to launch similar attacks on neighbouring communities, including Kabe and Sukumba, raising fears of a wider humanitarian crisis in the area.

One resident, who spoke through a voice message while hiding from the attackers, recounted the terrifying ordeal.

“They came in large numbers and overpowered our vigilantes. People are being killed, houses are burning, and women and children are being taken away. We have not seen any security personnel. No help has arrived,” he said.

As panic spread across the affected communities, residents expressed frustration over what they described as the absence of a timely military response.

Another villager, speaking in a WhatsApp voice note, claimed that the terrorists remained active in the area hours after the initial attack.

“They are still here. They are taking women and children. Some people have been killed and our houses are being burned. Nobody has come to rescue us,” he lamented.

The villager further criticised the perceived lack of intervention by security agencies, accusing authorities of failing to provide adequate protection despite repeated warnings about insurgent activities in the region.

Efforts to deploy security forces to the affected communities have reportedly been complicated by damaged infrastructure.

A local security guard based in Wawa, a major garrison town in Borgu Local Government Area, disclosed that the only bridge connecting Wawa to the affected villages was destroyed by Boko Haram fighters approximately two months ago.

According to him, the destruction of the bridge has severely restricted movement into the area.

“The only bridge linking Wawa to these communities was blown up by Boko Haram. Reaching them by road is almost impossible. The only realistic option is aerial deployment,” he explained.

Despite this assessment, residents claimed that neither military aircraft nor ground troops had arrived in the community at the time of reporting.

As of the time this report was filed, the Niger State Police Command had not issued an official statement regarding the attack.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, were unsuccessful, as enquiries sent to him had not received a response.

The latest assault highlights growing security concerns surrounding the Kainji Lake National Park region, where a Boko Haram faction reportedly led by notorious commander Mallam Sadiku has been expanding its operations.

Security sources say the group relocated from its former strongholds in Shiroro and established new bases within the vast forest reserves surrounding Kainji Lake. The area connects to the Old Oyo National Park and stretches into forests near the Benin Republic border, providing militants with strategic hideouts and mobility corridors.

Since establishing a presence in the region, the group has been linked to a series of major attacks and mass abductions that have left communities devastated.

One of its most notorious operations occurred in November 2025 when more than 300 students were reportedly abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Papiri, Niger State.

The following month, terrorists struck Kasun Daji community, where numerous men were killed while women and children were taken captive.

In February this year, the insurgents extended their operations into neighbouring Kwara State, attacking Woro community, killing scores of residents and abducting more than 100 people, most of them women and children.

The group was also linked to the abduction of 39 students and seven teachers from three schools in Oyo State in May. Reports indicate that the victims remain in captivity.

The resurgence of insurgent violence around the Kainji Lake axis has intensified concerns among security experts and local residents, who fear that Boko Haram is attempting to establish a permanent operational base in the region.

Analysts warn that the group's increasing activities across Niger, Kwara, and Oyo states signal a dangerous expansion beyond its traditional areas of operation in northeastern Nigeria.

For residents of Pissa and neighbouring communities, however, the immediate concern remains survival as families continue to flee their homes amid uncertainty over when security forces will arrive.

With reports of ongoing abductions and threats against nearby villages, the attack has once again underscored the growing challenge of insecurity confronting communities across Nigeria’s North-Central region.