31 August 2026 · Mashegu
Cattle rustling in Niger
OpenWatch has recorded 39 reported cattle rustling incidents in Niger State, 3 of them in the last 12 months. That is 3% of every incident recorded in the state, and ranks it 4 of 6 among the states where cattle rustling is reported often enough to profile.
Incidents · 12 mo
3
Fatalities · 12 mo
0
Incidents · all-time
39
Fatalities · all-time
139
Latest reported cattle rustling in Niger
11 August 2026 · Rijau
Armed bandits mass near Rijau, seize cattle
10 July 2026
Armed bandits were reported crossing the Kontagora-Tegina road in Niger State with stolen cattle, prompting a travelers advisory warning road users to avoid the route entirely and not stop in villages along the way.
18 October 2024 · Mariga
Bandits have imposed an N11 million levy on farmers in several villages in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, demanding additional supplies in exchange for the release of hostages.
1 April 2024 · Mashegu
Three men were arrested for rustling 132 rams from two victims in Niger State. The suspects were caught after one victim identified a suspect at a market.
4 October 2023 · Bida
A suspect was arrested for allegedly stealing two female horses from a farm in Chegungi area of Bida, Niger State. The suspect confessed to moving the horses to a nearby bush before attempting to transport them to Kaduna.
11 August 2023 · Wushishi
Farmers in Wushishi and Lavun LGAs fled their homes due to the invasion of bandits who moved in large numbers with cattle. The bandits reportedly spent the night in Cheji village, but no lives were lost or kidnappings reported as residents had already evacuated.
22 January 2023 · Shiroro
Bandits raided the communities of Egwa and Chiro in Niger State, stealing over 600 cattle and causing residents to flee in fear. One person was injured during the chaos.
7 November 2022 · Wushishi
Bandits have rustled dozens of cattle and stolen food items from farming communities in Wushishi LGA, Niger State, prompting many residents to flee to avoid potential kidnapping.
28 January 2022 · Munya, Shiroro
Security operatives in Niger State killed several bandits during operations in Munya and Shiroro LGAs, recovering over 500 animals, including 300 cows. The state government plans to continue its efforts against banditry and animal rustling.
Other threats in Niger
About these figures
Counts cover incidents classified as cattle rustling in Niger State, drawn from OpenWatch’s incident record, excluding retracted reports and duplicates merged into an earlier report. Figures update hourly. Last recorded: 31 August 2026.
Reported numbers are a floor, not a census. Incidents in remote areas are routinely under-reported, and classification follows how an event was described in reporting, so a low count is not a guarantee of safety. See the full Niger risk profile for every threat type, or the methodology for how incidents are collected and classified.
Track Niger live on the incident map.