Deadly Assault on Nigerian Village Leaves 30 Dead

Tue Jan 06 2026 05:00:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A violent attack by armed bandits in Niger state, Nigeria, results in the deaths of at least 30 villagers, amidst rising insecurity and fear.

In a shocking incident, armed men stormed the village of Kasuwan-Daji in Niger state, Nigeria, killing at least 30 people and causing widespread panic. The attackers set fire to the village market, looted shops, and kidnapped villagers, prompting a response from local authorities. This incident highlights the escalating violence by criminal gangs in the region, leaving residents terrified and seeking government intervention.

Armed men have violently stormed a village in Nigeria's Niger state, causing significant casualties and leading to widespread panic among residents.

On Saturday, the attackers emerged from a forest near the village of Kasuwan-Daji, killing at least 30 people, setting fire to the local market, looting shops, and kidnapping an unspecified number of villagers, according to state authorities.

The gunmen entered the town on motorcycles carrying weapons, rounded up people and then proceeded to slaughter them, while others were shot dead, reported a local journalist to the BBC's Hausa service.

This incident is part of an ongoing issue with armed criminal gangs, commonly known as bandits, terrorizing communities in Nigeria. Recently, there have been surges in such violent attacks across the western and central regions of the country.

Abdullahi Rofia, an official from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the reports of violent killings, saying villagers are living in fear, hiding, and too scared to speak out. They are terrified that if they talk, they will become targets themselves, Rofia noted.

In response to the situation, Niger state police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun mentioned that an emergency team has been deployed to assist the injured and security forces are working to rescue kidnapped villagers. However, local sentiments express frustration towards government inaction, as many people feel abandoned.

One villager lamented, We are dying like chickens, and does the government care about us? Our cries go unheard as violence spreads in our communities. What can we do as ordinary people?

This attack raises additional concerns as it came just a day after local authorities announced the phased reopening of schools that had been closed due to previous security threats. In November, over 250 students were abducted from a school, highlighting the severe implications of these ongoing security challenges in Nigeria.

As communities brace themselves against frequent violent occurrences, the urgent need for effective government intervention to ensure the safety of citizens becomes increasingly evident.