Over 30 killed, villagers abducted as gunmen torch market, homes in Nigeria

In a brutal attack on Sunday evening, gunmen raided Kasuwan-Daji village in Nigeria’s Niger state, killing at least 30 villagers and abducting several others, reports AP. The incident is part of a continuing wave of violence in the conflict-ridden northern region of the country. Police confirmed the attack on Sunday, while residents suggested the death toll could be higher, with some missing persons still unaccounted for.

The attackers stormed the village in the Borgu local government area, opening fire on villagers and setting several houses and the local market on fire. According to Wasiu Abiodun, a spokesman for the Niger state police, “Some residents believe the number of deaths could be as high as 37, as more bodies may still be discovered." 

Spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese Rev Fr Stephen Kabirat confirmed that over 40 people were killed in the gunmen's attack on Kasuwan-Daji village. Some



of those taken by the attackers were children. According to a local resident, the gunmen had been watching nearby communities for about a week before launching the deadly raid.

The attack lasted for up to three hours, leaving survivors too afraid to go and recover the bodies. “The bodies are still there, but without security, how can we go to retrieve them?” the resident said, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns.

In Nigeria gangs often target villages with little to no security. These gangs frequently hide out in vast, abandoned forests, such as the National Park Forest near the Kabe district, where the attackers are believed to have come from. This area has become a known hideout for criminals.

This attack took place near the Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and teachers were kidnapped from a Catholic school in November.