Armed men have launched a deadly assault on Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger State, Nigeria, leaving at least 30 people dead and several others abducted.
The attackers, who reportedly emerged from a nearby forest on Saturday, set fire to the village market, looted shops, and burned down several structures before escaping with an unknown number of hostages.
State officials confirmed that the assailants arrived on motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapons, and targeted civilians as they rampaged through the community. Emergency teams have since been deployed to treat the injured, while security forces are conducting search and rescue operations.
Residents have fled the area in fear as the attack marks another surge in violence linked to armed criminal groups commonly referred to as bandits. Such attacks have become increasingly frequent in Nigeria’s western and central regions, where local communities face persistent threats from heavily armed gangs.
The government has classified the bandits as terrorists and outlawed the payment of ransom to secure the release of kidnap victims. However, reports suggest that ransom payments continue to occur despite the ban.
Saturday’s incident comes barely a day after Niger State authorities began reopening schools that had been shut down following previous mass kidnappings.
In November, more than 250 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri were abducted before being rescued in December.
The Kasuwan-Daji attack underscores the growing insecurity in the region and the urgent need for stronger government action to protect rural communities.
bbc news
