Gunmen suspected to be bandits launched a deadly ambush on the convoy of Honorable Jafaru Mohammad Ali Damisa, the Member of the House of Representatives representing Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency in Niger State, on Tuesday afternoon along the Agwara–Babana road. The attack, which took place between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm at Kuble village, left a soldier dead and several others injured, including security personnel and supporters in the lawmaker’s convoy. At least 11 vehicles in the convoy were vandalized during the assault.
According to eyewitnesses and sources, the bandits, heavily armed and lying in wait, opened fire on the convoy as the lawmaker was traveling to Babanna town for an official engagement to discuss developmental projects in the area. The sudden onslaught caught the security team and aides by surprise, forcing a fierce gunfight once soldiers arrived on the scene, which eventually led the bandits to retreat into the forest.
“The member and his entourage are currently receiving treatment,” a source familiar with the incident confirmed, highlighting the severity of the ambush which left multiple injured.
The wounded victims were rushed to the General Hospital in New Bussa for medical care. Among the casualties were at least eight security personnel and four supporters who were hit by stray bullets, though none reportedly succumbed to their injuries.
The attack has stirred fresh concerns among residents and local authorities who have long called for increased security presence in the region due to the escalating threats of armed bandits targeting travelers and rural communities. Soldiers have since been mobilized to the scene to rescue those affected and restore order.
Local officials condemned the attack. Clement Kav, Chairman of Logo Local Government Area, described the ambush as “a senseless and barbaric act,” underscoring the heightened insecurity plague in the state. The incident also comes shortly after another ambush on a lawmaker’s convoy elsewhere, which resulted in deaths, emphasizing the growing danger faced by public officials in volatile areas.
As investigations continue and military patrols are intensified in the affected axis, the attack underscores the urgent need for stronger security measures to protect lawmakers and constituents from such violent assaults in Niger State.
