Two young men have been killed and another seriously injured after armed bandits ambushed them in a forest in Wawa community, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The victims, identified as Sidiq Musa and Bashir Bisalla, were among three youths who had gone into the forest when the attackers struck. Both were killed on the spot, while the third victim escaped with injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

Funeral rites for Musa and Bisalla were held in their respective communities on Sunday, as the attack triggered widespread grief and fear among residents.

The incident has heightened concerns over rising insecurity in the Borgu Kingdom area, coming weeks after a similar attack on January 23 in which seven youths were reportedly killed by bandits.

Community members have called on political leaders and security authorities to urgently address the persistent killings in the region, urging that the crisis be treated with the same seriousness as political issues.

Residents expressed shock over the latest violence, which has further deepened fears in the area amid ongoing bandit attacks.

Meanwhile, efforts to obtain official comments from the Niger State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report.(The Nation)