In a devastating assault that has once again highlighted the persistent insecurity in northern Nigeria, suspected armed bandits killed more than 30 people and abducted several others during a raid on the Kasuwan-Daji market in Demo village, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. The attackers also looted shops, carted away large quantities of foodstuffs and valuables, and set the market ablaze, leaving the rural community in shock and mourning.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday, January 4, through its spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun. In an official statement, Abiodun detailed that the attack commenced around 4:30 p.m. local time on January 3, when the gunmen, believed to be operating from forested hideouts in Kainji Lake National Park along the Kabe District, stormed the market. "On 03/01/2026 at about 9 p.m., information received revealed that at about 4:30 p.m. of the same date, suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan-Daji, located at Demo Village via Kabe, and burnt the market, looted shops, and carted away food items," the statement read. A joint security team visited the scene the following morning, confirming over 30 fatalities and several kidnappings. Efforts to rescue the abducted victims are ongoing, with further updates promised.
Eyewitness accounts and resident reports paint a grim picture of the carnage. The bandits, arriving on motorcycles, opened fire indiscriminately on market-goers, including women and children, before proceeding to loot and torch structures. Some survivors described how victims were tied up and executed, with the assailants operating without immediate resistance due to the remote location and limited security presence. One wounded resident, Dauda Shakulle, recounted to reporters that "women and children were not spared" and highlighted the absence of security forces during the raid, noting that the community was left to recover bodies amid ongoing fear.
While the police have pegged the death toll at over 30, some local sources and media reports suggest it could be higher. Anonymous residents speaking to outlets claimed up to 37 deaths in Kasuwan-Daji alone, with additional killings in nearby villages like Kaima, pushing estimates toward 42. However, authorities have cautioned against unverified figures, emphasizing ongoing assessments.
This attack is part of a broader pattern of banditry plaguing northwestern and central Nigeria, where armed groups—often referred to locally as bandits—exploit vast forested areas and national parks as bases for launching raids. Kainji Lake National Park, a biodiversity hotspot spanning parts of Niger and neighboring states, has increasingly become a sanctuary for these criminal elements due to its challenging terrain and sparse patrolling. The region has seen a surge in mass killings, kidnappings for ransom, and cattle rustling, exacerbating food insecurity as farmers and traders abandon markets and farmlands.
The incident bears eerie similarities to previous violence in the area. Kasuwan-Daji is approximately 23 kilometers from Papiri, the site of a major school abduction in late 2025, where over 300 pupils and staff from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School were kidnapped before being released. That event underscored the vulnerability of Borgu and adjacent local government areas like Agwarra and Shiroro. Some reports link the latest attackers to factions with ties to extremist groups, including a Boko Haram splinter led by a figure named Sadiku, though police descriptions focus on "bandits."
The humanitarian fallout is severe. Beyond the loss of life, the destruction of the market—a vital economic hub for the agrarian community—has disrupted trade in foodstuffs, compounding economic hardships in a region already strained by inflation and displacement. Abducted individuals, whose exact number remains unclear, are feared to be held for ransom, a common tactic that has generated millions for these groups. Survivors face trauma, with many fleeing to safer areas, further straining local resources.
Nigerian security forces have launched operations in response, but critics point to persistent challenges: under-resourced patrols, intelligence gaps, and the vastness of hideouts like national parks. The military has not yet commented on this specific incident, but ongoing counter-banditry campaigns in the northwest involve air strikes and ground troops. Advocacy groups and residents have renewed calls for enhanced federal intervention, including community policing and development initiatives to address root causes like poverty and unemployment.
This tragedy adds to Nigeria's grim tally of insecurity-related deaths in 2026, with similar raids occurring frequently across states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna. As investigations continue and rescue efforts intensify, the people of Demo village grapple with grief and uncertainty, emblematic of the broader crisis gripping rural northern Nigeria.
