At least 30 people were killed and dozens abducted when heavily armed gunmen stormed Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger State’s Borgu area on Saturday evening.
Witnesses said the attackers fired indiscriminately, set ablaze the local market, and destroyed homes, leaving widespread devastation.
Police confirmed 30 deaths, but residents reported higher casualties, with some estimates exceeding 40. Victims included women and children, and many remain missing. Survivors said they were too fearful to return to retrieve the bodies without security protection.
Authorities claimed security forces had been deployed, but villagers disputed this, saying no personnel had arrived as of Sunday. The attackers were believed to have emerged from the National Park Forest, a known haven for armed gangs.
This incident follows a November raid in the nearby Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and teachers were abducted, underscoring the persistent threat of mass violence and kidnappings in Nigeria’s rural regions.
