Armed attackers killed at least 30 villagers and kidnapped several others, including children, during a brutal raid in northern Nigeria’s Niger state. The assault struck Kasuwan-Daji village in Borgu local government area on Saturday evening, escalating the region’s deadly violence.
Gunmen stormed the community, fired on residents, and torched the local market along with several homes. State police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the attack in a statement. Local residents reported a higher death toll of 37, with many still missing.
Father Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, told media outlets that assailants slain more than 40 people and abducted children. The attack occurred near Papiri, where kidnappers seized over 300 schoolchildren and teachers from a Catholic school in November.
Residents revealed gunmen hid in nearby communities for a week before striking. The three-hour ordeal left survivors too terrified to retrieve bodies without protection. Police claim they deployed officers, but locals dispute this. Such raids plague Nigeria’s remote areas, where armed gangs exploit weak security and vast forests as hideouts. This incident highlights the urgent need for policies that safeguard families and children, and bring justice to those who would seek to attack and destroy Christian communities in Nigeria.
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