Panic has gripped residents of Niger State after armed men staged a daring late-night abduction, seizing two people, including a junior secondary school principal.
The attackers, reportedly disguised in hijabs, struck the quiet Melehe community late in the night, catching residents off guard.
Witnesses described the operation as “well-coordinated and unusually deceptive.”
According to locals, the gang of about four men arrived on Friday night, positioning themselves casually at the entrance of the victims’ home between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
They reportedly sat and conversed like ordinary women to avoid suspicion.
Hours later, around 11:00 p.m., the disguised gunmen removed the hijabs and forced their way into the house.
The victims, the principal of Junior Secondary School Melehe and a Fulani woman identified as Aminu Runtoje, were taken at gunpoint.
Community members say the abduction has deepened fear in the area, where insecurity has continued to disrupt lives.
“Nobody expected such a tactic,” said a local elder who asked not to be named. “They came in a way no one would suspect, and by the time people realised, it was too late.”
Security agencies have yet to release an official statement on the incident, but locals are urging swift intervention.
“We cannot continue to live in fear,” said another resident. “We need the government to protect us and ensure these criminals are caught.”
The latest attack adds to a series of kidnappings plaguing rural communities across Niger State, where schools, health workers, and traders have repeatedly been targeted.