At least 20 passengers travelling in five vehicles were reportedly kidnapped by bandits on the Mariga-Kontagora road in Niger State.
Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly and representative of Mariga constituency, confirmed the incident while speaking to journalists in Minna. According to him, the abduction took place on Thursday when bandits set up a roadblock between Baban-Lamba and Beri along the Mariga-Kontagora route.
The Speaker’s comments also addressed recent military statements denying the presence of bandits near the training grounds in Kontagora Local Government Area, which also spans parts of Mariga. Sarkin-Daji noted that families of previous kidnap victims had taken ransoms to the forest—an area reportedly within the military zone. Those released after paying ransoms described being held close to the Kontagora Army Barracks.
Sarkin-Daji urged the military to take the complaints of local residents seriously and take action to drive the bandits from the forest. “As representatives of the people, we receive firsthand reports of their hardships. Before we raise concerns on the House floor, we thoroughly investigate. It’s not about questioning the military’s capacity but rather about ensuring that the distress calls of our constituents aren’t disregarded,” he emphasized.
Efforts to reach Wasiu Abiodun, spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, for further details were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
