Gunmen killed 30 people and abducted several others, including children, during a violent assault on a village market in Niger state, Nigeria, police confirmed.
The attackers stormed the Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, opening fire indiscriminately on residents before burning stalls and looting food items, according to Niger state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun. The gunmen also razed houses during the assault, which lasted up to three hours.
“Women and children were not spared,” Dauda Shakulle told Al Jazeera.
Local residents reported that some people remained missing as of Sunday, and several witnesses said the death toll could exceed 40. Rev. Fr. Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, told local media that more than 40 people were killed in the attack on the village located in the Borgu local government area.
The gunmen arrived on motorcycles from the National Park Forest along the Kabe district, police said. Residents reported that the armed men had been lurking around nearby communities for about a week before launching Saturday evening’s assault on Kasuwan-Daji village.
Survivors expressed frustration that security forces had not yet arrived in the area as of Sunday, despite police statements that officers had been deployed to search for those kidnapped. Residents said they were recovering corpses but remained fearful of returning to the village without a security presence.
“There has been no presence of security forces since the attacks began. We are currently recovering corpses,” Shakulle said.
Saturday’s assault occurred near the Papiri community, where at least 315 schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped from a Catholic school in November.
Niger state has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most dangerous regions, with armed bandit groups operating from bases in Kainji Lake National Park to launch attacks on vulnerable rural communities. The bandits, who operate primarily for ransom, have transformed kidnapping into a lucrative criminal enterprise across northwestern and central Nigeria. According to SBM Intelligence, Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis has evolved into a multi-billion-naira industry, with confirmed ransom payments reaching N2.56 billion ($1.66 million) and 4,722 civilians abducted in just one year.
President Bola Tinubu condemned Saturday’s attack and directed security officials to hunt down the gunmen and rescue the hostages. “These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people,” Tinubu said in a statement on Sunday. “They must face the full consequences of their criminal actions. No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down.”
Security analysts say both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks by armed groups, despite conflicting narratives about religious targeting.
The violence has drawn international attention, with President Donald Trump previously threatening military intervention over what he described as targeted killings of Nigeria’s Christians. The attacks come amid growing humanitarian concerns, with the United Nations World Food Programme warning in November that nearly 35 million people in northern Nigeria could face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season. Insurgent violence and insecurity are driving hunger to record levels, with armed groups exploiting desperation to expand their influence.
The market attack marks the latest in a wave of violence that has left hundreds kidnapped and scores killed across Niger state in recent months, highlighting the Nigerian government’s ongoing struggle to contain armed bandit groups operating with apparent impunity in remote areas.
Police confirmed that efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims, though concerns remain about the fate of those abducted, particularly the children reported among the captives.
