Bandits Kill Over 30, Kidnap Others in Fresh Niger State Village Attack

Bandits Kill Over 30, Kidnap Others in Fresh Niger State Village Attack

Armed gangs, locally known as bandits, have launched a deadly raid on Kasuwan Daji village in Kabe district of Niger State, killing more than 30 people and abducting several others, Nigerian police confirmed on Sunday.

The attackers stormed the village on Saturday, setting the local market on fire and looting shops for food supplies. According to the Niger State Police Command, the assailants operated for hours with little or no resistance from security forces.

Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said, “Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, while some persons were also kidnapped.”

Graphic images and video footage circulating online showed that some victims were bound before being executed, underscoring the brutality of the assault.

The attack occurred less than 20 kilometres from Papiri village, where more than 250 students and staff were abducted from a Catholic school in November 2025. The victims were later released in batches, though authorities did not disclose whether ransom payments were made.

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While police put the death toll at over 30, the Catholic Church in Kontagora said more than 40 people were killed, describing the incident as a massacre. In a Facebook post, the church said reports indicated that the bandits operated for hours without any security presence.

Niger State has emerged as one of the regions worst affected by banditry and mass kidnappings in north-central Nigeria, part of a broader security crisis gripping the country.

Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including jihadist insurgency, banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and separatist violence, affecting both Christians and Muslims nationwide.

On Christmas Eve, a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five worshippers in an attack on a mosque in Borno State, highlighting the spread of violence across regions.

In recent months, the United States has criticised Nigeria’s inability to curb the violence, with US President Donald Trump describing the situation as the “persecution” of Christians—a claim rejected by the Nigerian government and several independent analysts. Despite this, the US carried out surprise airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting Islamic State-linked militants, an action later confirmed by Abuja as approved.

President Bola Tinubu has pledged a comprehensive national security overhaul, allocating the largest share of the 2026 budget to defence and appointing a new defence minister as part of efforts to restore stability.

Bandits Kill Over 30, Kidnap Others in Fresh Niger State Village Attack