Over 30 killed, several missing after Gunmen attack village in Nigeria’s Niger state

At least 30 people were killed and several others remain missing after armed gunmen carried out a deadly raid on Kasuwan-Daji village in northern Nigeria’s Niger State, police and local sources said on Sunday, highlighting the worsening security crisis in the region.

The attack occurred on Saturday evening in the Borgu Local Government Area, when assailants stormed the village and opened fire on residents. The gunmen also set ablaze the local market and several houses before fleeing the area, according to a statement issued by Niger State Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun .

While police confirmed a minimum of 30 fatalities , residents and church officials reported a significantly higher death toll. Some villagers estimated that at least 37 people were killed, warning that the number could rise as several residents remain unaccounted for. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora said more than 40 people may have been killed, adding that women and children were among those abducted during the raid.

Locals disputed police claims that security personnel had been deployed to the area, saying no forces had arrived as of Sunday. Fear of a possible return by the attackers has prevented survivors from retrieving bodies left behind in the village. Witnesses said the assault lasted nearly three hours, allowing the gunmen to carry out killings, arson and looting without resistance.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terror and vowing decisive action. In a statement, the president said he had directed security agencies to track down the perpetrators, rescue those abducted and ensure that anyone aiding the attackers is brought to justice.

Residents said the gunmen had been seen moving through nearby communities in the days leading up to the attack, raising concerns over intelligence failures and the lack of preventive security measures. Police said the attackers were believed to have emerged from forested areas near Kabe district and the surrounding national park, regions long suspected of serving as hideouts for armed groups.

The attack is part of a broader pattern of violence across northern and central Nigeria, where criminal gangs commonly referred to as bandits carry out raids, mass abductions and killings, particularly in remote communities with limited government presence. Vast forest reserves and difficult terrain have allowed these groups to evade security forces.

Kasuwan-Daji lies close to the Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and teachers were kidnapped from a Catholic school in November, an incident that drew international attention and underscored the scale of the security challenge facing the country.

Police said an investigation has been launched and search operations are ongoing, though no arrests have been announced so far.