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Deadly assault on Kasuwan-Daji
At least 30 people were killed when armed men stormed the village of Kasuwan-Daji in Nigeria's Niger state on Saturday, state authorities confirmed. The attackers torched the local market, looted shops, and abducted an unknown number of residents.
Attack details
The assailants arrived on motorcycles from a nearby forest, according to police reports. Witnesses told the BBC's Hausa service that the gunmen rounded up villagers before executing some and shooting others.
"They slaughtered people like animals, while others were gunned down where they stood," a local journalist said.
Community in fear
Abdullahi Rofia, an official with the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the killings and described a terrified population. "People are hiding, too afraid to speak," he told the BBC. "They fear retaliation if they're heard."
A witness added that no security forces were present during the attack. "We're begging the government for help," he said. "We used to hear about such violence elsewhere-now it's happening in our own villages."
Government response
Niger state police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said an emergency team was deployed to assist the injured and rescue abducted victims. Security forces are actively pursuing the attackers.
While paying ransom to such groups is illegal-they are classified as terrorists-reports suggest payments are often made in secret.
Broader crisis
Armed gangs, locally called "bandits," have plagued Nigeria for years, with attacks surging recently in western and central regions. The violence has displaced communities, forcing people to flee their homes.
"We're dying like chickens, and does the government even care?" a resident asked. "They see what's happening but do nothing."
Recent kidnappings
The raid occurred a day after Niger state announced schools would reopen in phases, following a mass kidnapping in November. Over 250 students and staff from St Mary's Catholic School in Papiri were abducted in one of Nigeria's worst such incidents. Authorities confirmed their rescue just before Christmas.
