Suspected militants linked to the Sadiku-led faction of Boko Haram have killed two police mobile officers and injured another in a dawn attack on a police camp in Niger State.
The incident reportedly occurred in Papiri, a rural community that gained attention after the mass abduction of over 300 students and staff of St Mary’s Catholic School in November 2025.
Security sources and local officials told Premium Times that the attackers stormed the police facility in the early hours of Wednesday while residents were still asleep.
A community leader said the assault began around 4:30 a.m., describing how heavy gunfire jolted the village awake.
A surviving police officer said the attackers arrived in large numbers and surrounded the camp, leading to a fierce exchange of fire.
According to him, officers fought back and succeeded in killing about five of the assailants, but two officers were killed while another sustained injuries to the arm.
He added that additional police reinforcements have since been deployed to the area to strengthen security presence.
Despite the reinforcement, fear has spread across Papiri, forcing many residents to flee to nearby communities for safety. A resident of a neighbouring village, Idris Alhaji, said displaced families have been seeking shelter outside the area since the attack.
Local leaders also confirmed that they evacuated their own families following the assault.
Residents say the latest attack has revived fears in the region, especially given Papiri’s history of mass abductions involving schoolchildren and staff.
Security reports indicate that the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction has been active around the Kainji Lake National Park corridor, spanning parts of Niger and Kwara states.
The group previously operated in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, where it carried out repeated attacks, kidnappings, and forced displacement of communities.
Authorities say the faction has continued similar activities in its new base, including abductions, ambushes, and the planting of improvised explosive devices on rural routes.
The group is also reportedly holding more than 150 abducted women and children taken from Woro in Kwara State, as well as Kasuwan Daji and Konkoso in Niger State.
Security sources further allege that the militants have intensified attacks on travellers, traders, and rural dwellers, including recent explosions that destroyed infrastructure and killed civilians in the region.
Officials also warn that the group is now operating in the same wider corridor as other armed factions, including Ansaru-linked elements and foreign jihadist networks active around Nigeria’s northwestern border areas.
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