Bandits Return Bodies of 25 Abducted Villagers in Niger

Communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State are engulfed in grief following the return of 25 decomposing bodies of villagers allegedly killed by bandits after being abducted during an attack on August 21. The bandits instructed residents to recover the bodies from the bush, leading to a mass burial.

A community source revealed that the victims were abandoned to decompose, and the bandits threatened to kill other captives if ransom demands were not met. Initially, the bandits demanded N10 million for each captive, later reducing it to N5 million, which the predominantly farming and petty-trading communities could not afford.

The recovery of the bodies has intensified fears among families of those still in captivity. Despite assurances from security authorities, including IGP Tunji Disu and AIG Victor Olaiya, efforts to rescue the remaining captives have not yielded results, leaving many families in despair.