A sharp escalation of violence across Nigeria’s North Central region has left dozens dead and raised fresh alarms over stability in the West African nation’s vital geographical and farming heartland.
A coordinated wave of attacks, mass abductions, and bold criminal raids stretching from Plateau to Kwara, Niger, and Benue states has exposed the vulnerability of national infrastructure and local communities alike, highlighting a dangerous surge in organised crime. The widening crisis is pushing local security forces to their limits, complicating federal efforts to secure the interior and protect critical food supply chains for all citizens.
The violence began as an attempted breach of the nation’s foremost policy think tank in Plateau State. In an audacious midnight siege on Monday, suspected gunmen attacked the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, near Jos. The attackers reportedly stormed the institute at about 11:40 p.m. and opened fire, prompting an exchange of gunfire with security personnel stationed at the facility. A staff member of the institute, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said security operatives fiercely resisted the attackers and prevented them from gaining access to the institution.
While the attackers were ultimately repelled from entering the main campus, the human cost was devastating: two soldiers and one police officer lay dead.
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NIPSS attack, nearby mining site killings in Plateau deepen insecurity fears
Bulus Haruna, a resident of Kuru, said residents of nearby communities were thrown into panic as sustained gunfire echoed through the area for several hours.
However, the management of NIPSS assured the public that the institution remains safe. In a statement issued by Samuel Osime, head of the Public Affairs Department, the institute said the situation was swiftly brought under control through the intervention of security personnel and relevant agencies.
“As investigations are ongoing, it would be premature to speculate on the nature, scope, or outcome of the event. The Institute is therefore unable to confirm details currently circulating on social media and other unofficial platforms,” Osime said.
He added: “We urge members of the public and the media to rely on official communications from the institute and relevant security agencies. Management of NIPSS remains committed to the safety and security of staff members and participants,” he added.
The Plateau State Police Command also confirmed the killing of the three security personnel and assured residents that the situation had been brought under control.
However, barely hours after the attack on NIPSS, terrorists struck a mining site in nearby Gero Village, slaughtering five people. The proximity of the two attacks, separated by just five kilometres, reignited deep fears of a calculated siege on the environs of Jos South.
By Wednesday night, the terror hit the residential community of Rantya. An overwhelming force of over 100 gunmen riding motorcycles descended on Rangarasa village, firing indiscriminately into the night. Local vigilantes courageously mobilised to protect their families but were ruthlessly outgunned. Two young defenders, Joshua, a father of four, and Emmanuel, whose wife had just given birth via surgery, were killed before the invaders fled into the darkness. Defenceless residents noted with bitter irony that official security forces only arrived the following morning to view the bodies.
In direct response to the escalating crisis, Isyaku Mohammed, deputy Inspector-General of Police in Charge of Training and Development, launched an emergency tour of the state, beginning with a high-stakes assessment at the breached NIPSS facility.
Kidnappings, mob violence deepen security crisis in Kwara
In Kwara State, armed bandits struck multiple communities in coordinated attacks, kidnapping residents and killing others. The attacks occurred in Gaa-Alla and Gaa Oke Abba communities in Isin Local Government Area, as well as Famole community in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
Although the exact number of abducted victims remains uncertain, police authorities confirmed that at least two persons were kidnapped in the Gaa-Alla community. Sources in the affected areas, however, said several other residents were abducted while one person was killed during a gun battle in the Famole community.
Adekimi Ojo, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, confirmed the attacks, saying police operatives, alongside the military and forest guards, had launched operations to track down the perpetrators.
Even as kidnappings persist, the police announced a breakthrough against criminal gangs operating in Kwara North. According to Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested suspects linked to a notorious kidnapping syndicate.
“Preliminary investigations led to the identification of one Umar Abubakar, popularly known as ‘Manti,’ as the alleged leader of a kidnapping syndicate suspected to be responsible for a series of kidnapping incidents and other violent crimes in parts of Kwara North Senatorial District,” she said.
Kwara was also shaken by mob violence in Ilesha Baruba, where a clash escalated into reprisal attacks, killings and arson.
“Upon receipt of the report, a combined team of police personnel and military operatives was swiftly deployed to the affected area, successfully restoring normalcy and preventing further escalation of violence,” the police said.
The state equally witnessed a deadly attack on worshippers at Ori-Oke Ajaiye in Ekiti Local Government Area, where three persons were killed and 15 others abducted during a night vigil.
According to the police spokesperson, “Armed hoodlums invaded the prayer ground, firing sporadically, killing three persons while abducting fifteen others to an unknown destination.”
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Child abduction sparks fear across communities in Niger
In Niger State, fears of kidnapping intensified after a private security guard allegedly disappeared with his employer’s two six-year-old children, Umar and Anastasia, in Minna.
The children’s father, Alhaji Danjuma, said the suspect, Sani Abdulrahman, allegedly took the children out under the guise of celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir festivities. The family later reportedly received a call from persons claiming to be in Erena Forest in Shiroro Local Government Area, demanding ransom.
Confirming the incident, Wasiu Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command, said investigations had commenced, and efforts were ongoing to rescue the children safely.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command intensified proactive operations, arresting 27 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hideouts in Suleja metropolis and recovering weapons, illicit drugs and other dangerous items.
The police said the raids formed part of ongoing efforts to curb criminality and reassure residents of their safety during and after the festive season.
Deadly raids persist in Benue despite security operations
Benue State has also witnessed renewed attacks in recent weeks. Though authorities insist there is relative peace in parts of the state, communities in Apa, Agatu, Otukpo, Ohimini and Ogbadibo local government areas have continued to record killings and kidnappings blamed largely on suspected armed herdsmen.
One of the victims, Ojama Emie, a public health worker, was reportedly ambushed and beheaded along the Ikobi-Ugbokpo axis in Apa Local Government Area.
Amid the violence, security operatives recorded some successes in the Sankara axis, where three suspected bandits were killed during a gun duel along the Vaase-Chito Road in Ukum Local Government Area.
Edet Udeme, the Police spokesperson, said: “One AK-47 rifle, 21 rounds of live ammunition and a motorcycle were recovered from the suspects.”
The renewed violence across the North Central region has once again raised questions about security strategies and underscored the urgent need for sustained efforts to protect lives, restore public confidence and end the cycle of attacks that continues to haunt communities across the region.
Nathaniel Gbaoron, Hembadoon Osar and Sikirat Shehu
Nathaniel E. Gbaoron is the Plateau State correspondent for BusinessDay and a seasoned journalist with a decade of experience covering sub-national affairs across Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, and other states.
He holds both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from Fidel Polytechnic, Gboko. Over the years, he has participated in numerous media trainings and workshops spanning various areas of reporting, strengthening his expertise in economic and political reporting, community-level governance, development stories, and conflict-sensitive journalism. He is a member of Correspondent Chapel in Plateau state, a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), he is also a Rotarian and a member of Plateau Club 1921.
