Residents Flee Niger State Into Benin Republic as Bandit Attacks Escalate

Several residents of Borgu and Agwara Local Government Areas in Niger State, Nigeria are fleeing across the border into the Benin Republic after a renewed wave of violent attacks by suspected bandits and armed assailants, heightening the deepening security crisis in the region.

Lawmakers and local leaders have confirmed that hundreds of civilians have abandoned their homes and farmlands in the border towns, seeking refuge across international boundaries to escape persistent violence that has left communities vulnerable and exposed.

Eyewitness accounts told reporters that the latest assault occurred early this week when groups of armed men riding on motorcycles stormed villages, burning houses and terrorising residents. These attacks follow a series of coordinated raids on communities in the Borgu area in recent days.

Earlier this month, similar bandit raids on three villages, Tunga-Makeri, Konkoso and Pissa resulted in the deaths of at least 30 civilians and the burning of homes and shops, according to residents and security sources. Security officials said operations were underway to pursue the attackers and rescue abducted residents, although the full scale of casualties and abductions remains unclear.

The intensification of attacks has also exacerbated Nigeria’s broader humanitarian challenges. The United Nations estimates that more than 3.7 million Nigerians are currently internally displaced due to conflict and insecurity in the northern and north-central regions, a figure that continues to grow as violence spills into previously stable border communities.

Government and community leaders have repeatedly condemned the violence and called for increased security deployment to protect vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, residents who remain in the area describe fear and uncertainty as they await reassurance and action from security agencies.

The situation underscores ongoing security challenges in northern Nigeria, where banditry, kidnappings, and terror attacks have disrupted livelihoods, strained local economies, and displaced thousands of families.