In the heart of Niger State’s rocky landscapes, something extraordinary happened on Tuesday. For once, it wasn’t the bandits boasting of another attack. This time, it was the Nigerian troops and local vigilantes who took the victory — and in style too.
More than 100 armed bandits, notorious for terrorising communities on motorcycles, met their end in Warari, a small but strategic community in Rijau Local Government Area. This was no ordinary clash. It was a carefully planned and fiercely executed ambush that lasted over three hours — a firefight that changed the mood in the region.
Local intelligence had done its magic. Residents, who had grown tired of the constant fear and chaos, decided enough was enough. They tipped off the military about the secret routes these criminals use to rustle cattle and escape into the bush. What followed was a military response that villagers are still talking about.
“We’ve never seen this kind of action before,” said one excited resident, watching soldiers pack up after the mission. “Our people came out clapping and dancing — like we won a football match!”
Indeed, it felt like a win, but not just for Warari — for all the quiet, forgotten communities across Niger and the broader North Central zone who have suffered in silence.
The soldiers came prepared. With Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) rumbling through the dusty paths and boots on the ground, the troops took positions around known exit routes. What the bandits expected was an easy ride through familiar terrain. What they got instead was a wall of firepower.
Eyewitnesses described the aftermath as “shocking.” According to community leaders, more than 70 bodies of the bandits were counted on roads, farmlands, and near forest edges. “We could see more bodies from Warari Hill,” said one elder, pointing toward the dense forest area that leads to Kontagora and even as far as Ilorin. “This has always been their escape route, but not today.”
Locals are now urging the authorities to block these exit routes permanently. “They will return if we let them. This is our best chance to finish what has started,” another elder said.
PRNigeria, who broke the story, confirmed the scale of the operation and its significance. The Nigerian Army’s swift and clinical response has not only neutralised a major group of bandits, but also restored a sense of hope among residents who have for years been living at the mercy of gunmen.
Niger State, and indeed the entire North Central, has been a hotspot for banditry — criminal gangs operating in forests, attacking travellers, kidnapping schoolchildren, and rustling cattle. Government forces have struggled with terrain, logistics, and intelligence. But this victory shows that with the right information and community support, even the deadliest threats can be tackled.
As the sun set over Warari that evening, there was finally a sense of calm. Not the uneasy silence that usually follows an attack, but a genuine relief. Children played outside again. Farmers dared to check their fields. For once, the fear was on the other side.
Nigerians love to say, “When the gods want to disgrace a thief, they make him run into a soldier’s bullet.” Well, in Warari, over 100 of them ran into it — and none made it out.
Now, the people wait and watch, hoping this is not just a one-off, but the beginning of real, lasting peace.
