Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
More than 100 residents of Maburya community in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, who were abducted by bandits on Saturday night, have regained their freedom, according to information from local sources. The mass abduction occurred on September 12, 2026, when gunmen invaded the community, shooting sporadically into the air and taking over 100 people away. As of Monday, September 14, 2026, residents in the area confirmed that the vast majority of the captives had been released.
The residents stated that only three people remain in the hands of the bandits. According to the same local sources, the kidnappers have promised to release the remaining three victims soon. The circumstances of the release have not been officially confirmed by the police or other security agencies, and it remains unclear whether any conditions were attached to the release of the more than 100 victims.
The attack on Maburya was the latest in a growing wave of mass abductions across Mariga Local Government Area and surrounding communities. The area has become a flashpoint for banditry, with armed groups carrying out raids on villages, rustling cattle, and abducting residents in large numbers. The proximity of Mariga LGA to the expansive Kainji Lake National Park and other forest reserves provides cover for criminal elements, making it difficult for security forces to track and engage them. The Nigerian Air Force has conducted sustained air operations in the area, targeting terrorist enclaves and disrupting their movements, but the attacks have continued. In August 2026, troops rescued nine male kidnap victims within Mariga LGA following sustained operations against terrorists. In February 2026, a joint security team rescued at least 10 victims in the area after a gun battle with suspected kidnappers. Despite these efforts, the mass abduction at Maburya demonstrated the continued capacity of the bandits to strike at will, overwhelming local defences and taking over 100 people in a single night.
The residents of Maburya had spent the days following the abduction in a state of agony, waiting for news of their loved ones. The release of the more than 100 captives has brought immense relief to hundreds of families who had feared for the lives of their relatives. However, the joy is not yet complete for the families of the three individuals still in captivity. The bandits' promise to release them is a glimmer of hope, but promises from armed groups are not guarantees. Until those three victims are safely back with their families, the ordeal is not over.
This report is based on information from residents in the area. Authorities have not issued an official statement confirming the release of the victims or the number of those still in captivity. As efforts continue to secure the release of the remaining three, the people of Maburya and the wider Mariga community are left to grapple with the trauma of the mass abduction and the fear that, unless the security situation improves, the next attack may already be in the planning.
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