Bandits attacked Gulbinboka, Kakihun, and Kumbashi communities in Mairiga district, Niger, abducting about 30 people.
30 Jun 2025 · Gulbinboka, Kakihun and Kumbashi., Mairiga, Niger
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Kidnapped
30
Total casualties
0
Perpetrators
Bandits
Response
Niger Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the mass abduction and said a joint security operation was underway. The Mairiga district head called for immediate military intervention.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
Residents believe the attack was a reprisal for the killing of three Lakurawa jihadists by local vigilantes who thwarted a previous raid .
Trajectory
The Lakurawa group represents an emerging jihadist threat in North-West Nigeria, distinct from the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the North-East. Affiliated with the Islamic State in the Sahel, the group was originally formed as a self-defence group but has become increasingly radicalised. They operate from the Bokoji forest in the Niger Republic, crossing the porous border to attack communities in Sokoto State. The group has imposed strict Sharia law in areas under their control, banned drugs and cigarettes, and taxed locals.
Cycle notes
This attack mirrors the pattern of reprisal attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East, where the killing of insurgents by local vigilantes often triggers retaliatory massacres of civilians. The Lakurawa group's tactics—indiscriminate shooting, looting, and burning of homes and food stores—echo the modus operandi of other jihadist groups in northern Nigeria. The displacement of over 500 households reflects the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the North-West, where Banditry and jihadist violence have created a massive IDP population.
Pattern
Reprisal Attack on Civilian Communities
Related — Banditry
Armed Bandits attacked Lambo community in Kurfi LGA, Katsina State. Two residents were injured, and scores of others were abducted during the raid.
Bandits launched an attack on Gidan Bangi community in Talata Mafara LGA, Zamfara State. The assault left 12 people dead.
Shortly after 10:30 pm, a few hours after attending a high-profile political rally to welcome Governor Bello Matawalle to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gusau, the lawmaker representing the Shinkafi constituency was driving towards Funtua. The Bandits had blocked the Sheme-Funtua road with large logs. When he attempted to turn his vehicle around to escape, the assailants opened fire, striking him in the neck. He died on the spot. The attack occurred near Yankara village in Katsina State. The police later cleared the road for motorists.