Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
NIGER STATE, Nigeria — At least 30 people have been killed and several others abducted after suspected bandits stormed Kasuwan-Daji village in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday afternoon, deepening concerns over persistent insecurity in the region. Officials and residents say the death toll could be significantly higher, with local sources estimating up to 37 or more fatalities and many people still unaccounted for following the brutal assault.
According to the Niger State Police Command, the gunmen — believed to be armed bandits operating from forest hideouts near the National Park forest along Kabe District — invaded the community around 4:30 p.m., opening fire on villagers, burning the Kasuwan-Daji market, looting shops and making away with foodstuffs and valuables worth millions of naira. “Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, and some persons were also kidnapped,” Police Public Relations Officer SP Wasiu Abiodun told reporters as rescue efforts continued.
Eyewitnesses and residents have disputed the official toll, saying the death count may be considerably higher and that security forces had not yet arrived in sufficient numbers when survivors spoke to journalists. Catholic Church officials have claimed the fatalities could exceed 40, with some of those abducted including women and children.
Villagers described the attackers arriving on motorcycles and in broad daylight, operating with apparent impunity before fleeing into surrounding bushland once their assault was complete. Survivors reported that the gunmen had been seen in nearby communities for days prior to the massacre, raising fresh questions about the effectiveness of existing intelligence and security deployment in remote areas.
The violence in Kasuwan-Daji has triggered panic across Borgu and neighbouring Agwarra Local Government Areas, where residents are fearful of further incursions. The ongoing raids are part of a broader cycle of banditry that has plagued Niger State and much of northern Nigeria for years, with armed groups routinely targeting isolated villages, markets and homes for ransom, loot and terror.
In November, the region was shaken by the abduction of more than 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, highlighting the depth of the security crisis and the bandits’ ability to strike deep into rural communities without immediate deterrence.
Local leaders and community activists have expressed outrage and grief, demanding urgent government intervention to secure the area and prevent further loss of life. Many residents are calling for accelerated deployment of military and police resources, improved intelligence operations and sustained presence in vulnerable villages to forestall future raids.
Security experts say that the extensive forest reserves and porous terrain in parts of Niger State provide ideal hideouts for bandit groups, complicating efforts to track and dismantle their networks. Without a sustained and coordinated approach involving community intelligence, rapid-response units and strategic patrols, analysts warn that these armed gangs will continue to exploit governance gaps to carry out deadly attacks.
The Kasuwan-Daji massacre has reignited debate about the federal and state governments’ capacity to protect citizens in remote communities, as families and neighbours wait anxiously for news of those still missing and for security agencies to restore a sense of safety in the region.
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