By Cross Udo, with additional report
Suspected terrorists late Saturday unleashed a coordinated assault on Kasuwan-Daji market in the Demo community of Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State, leaving more than 30 people dead and several others abducted.
The attackers, who reportedly stormed the community in the late afternoon, operated for several hours without resistance, shooting sporadically, looting shops, carting away foodstuffs and valuables worth millions of naira, and eventually setting the market ablaze before withdrawing in the early hours of Sunday.
Residents said the assailants emerged from the nearby National Park in Borgu LGA, exploiting the vast forest terrain to launch the attack in broad daylight.
A local source disclosed that dozens of victims were restrained before being killed, while an unspecified number of residents, including women and children, were taken away by the terrorists.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday, describing it as one of the deadliest attacks in the area in recent months.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, said, “On 03/01/2026 at about 9 pm, information received revealed that at about 4:30 pm of the same date, suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan-Daji, located at Demo Village via Kabe, and burnt the market, looted shops, and carted away food items.”
Abiodun added that security operatives later assessed the scale of the carnage:
“On 04/01/2026 at about 8 am, a report indicated that a joint security team visited the scene, and over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack. Some people were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims. Further developments will be communicated.”
The Kasuwan-Daji attack comes amid a disturbing surge in terrorist and bandit attacks across Niger State, which has increasingly become a flashpoint for violent incursions linked to criminal groups operating across the North-Central and North-West corridors.
In November, gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, abducting over 300 pupils and students during a three-hour overnight raid.
While dozens escaped and others were later freed following sustained security operations, the incident underscored the growing threat to rural communities and educational institutions in the state.
*Tinubu orders total manhunt, rescue of abducted victims
Reacting swiftly to the latest killings, President Bola Tinubu ordered an immediate and uncompromising security response, directing the nation’s top defence and intelligence chiefs to track down the perpetrators and rescue all abducted victims.
The President instructed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to ensure that those responsible are apprehended and brought to justice without delay.
Condemning the attack in strong terms, Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Niger State, while reaffirming the resolve of the Federal Government to deny terrorists any haven.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President said:
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must, therefore, face the full consequences of their criminal actions.
“No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. They, and all those who aid, abet, or enable them in any form, will be caught and brought to justice.”
The President further assured residents that security operations would be intensified around vulnerable communities, particularly those bordering forests that have become hideouts for criminal elements.
Calling for national unity at a difficult moment, Tinubu urged Nigerians to resist divisive rhetoric and stand together against terror.
“These times demand our humanity. We must stand together as one people and confront these monsters in unison. United, we can and must defeat them, deny them any sanctuary. We must reclaim the peace and security of these attacked communities,” he said.
*Senator Musa demands total war on terrorism
Meanwhile, the Senator representing Niger East in the National Assembly, Sani Musa, has described the attack as a grave assault on innocent civilians and a stark reminder of Nigeria’s lingering security challenges.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Senator said no fewer than 42 people were killed during the attacks, which also saw the Kasuwan-Daji market razed and a Catholic Mission House destroyed.
He described the violence as “barbaric and inhumane,” stressing that the scale and coordination of the assaults point to entrenched terrorist networks operating freely from forest enclaves.
According to him, the repeated targeting of rural communities reflects a troubling pattern in which armed groups continue to massacre civilians and destroy livelihoods with little restraint.
He warned that unless decisive steps are taken, such attacks would persist and further undermine public confidence in the state’s capacity to protect lives and property.
Musa extended condolences to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago; his colleague representing Niger North, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello; as well as traditional rulers, religious leaders, and residents of Borgu and Agwara LGAs over the tragic losses.
Calling for urgent action, the lawmaker urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to declare an uncompromising war on terrorism.
He advocated a full-scale invasion and dismantling of terrorist camps, logistics routes, and support networks, insisting that Nigeria must not cede any portion of its territory to criminal elements.
He further called on the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to deploy overwhelming military presence to the affected areas, intensify aerial and ground operations, and dismantle all terrorist hideouts within the Borgu–Agwara forest corridors.
He stressed that those responsible must be pursued and brought to justice without delay.
The Senator concluded by praying for the repose of the victims’ souls, comfort for their families, and the restoration of lasting peace and security to Niger State.
