By Hadiza Mohammed, Minna
Two women have died in Niger State after a wave of panic triggered a mass exodus from communities in Shiroro Local Government Area over fears of an imminent bandit attack.
Residents of Bassa and neighbouring communities fled their homes in large numbers following rumours of a planned assault, leaving the towns virtually deserted.
The victims, both said to be suffering from high blood pressure, reportedly collapsed while escaping to Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro LGA.
One was confirmed dead on arrival, while the other died shortly after reaching a hospital. A male vigilante, also hypertensive, was similarly reported to have died from shock during the chaotic evacuation.
Local sources who spoke with residents in Bassa, Bagna and Erena, however, confirmed that no actual attack occurred in Bassa.
The panic was instead fuelled by fears of reprisal attacks by bandits against vigilantes and local hunters who recently assisted security forces during clashes in Bagna and Erena.
According to the accounts, tension escalated when vigilantes in Bassa sighted helicopters hovering over the area, which they interpreted as a possible sign of an impending attack. Lacking adequate weapons to confront heavily armed bandits, the vigilantes reportedly fled the community.
Their departure left residents feeling vulnerable, triggering a mass movement of people out of Bassa and surrounding settlements. Communities including Erena and Bagna were also largely abandoned, with many residents seeking refuge in Gurumana and Kuta.
The situation was further worsened by unverified reports on social media claiming that Bassa had already been attacked, intensifying fear across the area.
Sources described the development as a widespread flight for safety across the axis, with entire communities emptied within hours.
The tension follows recent violent incursions by bandits in Bagna and Erena, where they clashed with a Joint Security Taskforce and local volunteer groups. Vigilantes from Bassa were said to have played a role in those operations, raising concerns about possible retaliatory attacks.
Local hunters have since advised residents to evacuate, citing their inability to withstand assaults from better-armed bandits.
As of Thursday, Bassa and nearby communities remain largely deserted, with displaced residents scattered across safer locations.
