Armed Attack on Market Leaves Fifty People Dead in Nigeria
Militants affiliated with an armed gang descended upon Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village Saturday, firing weapons without discrimination at shoppers, kidnapping numerous individuals, and plundering food stocks from vendors.
A collective burial ceremony was conducted for those slain, while survivors suffering injuries received medical care at neighboring healthcare facilities.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and ordered security forces to apprehend the perpetrators, declaring: "They are testing the resolve of our nation and must face the full consequences of their criminal actions."
Tinubu also instructed authorities to immediately rescue all individuals abducted during the assault.
Niger state has endured a succession of militant strikes in recent weeks, with rural settlements proving especially susceptible to armed factions operating from densely forested territories.
The region experienced a major kidnapping crisis last November when gunmen seized 315 people—comprising 303 students and 12 educators—from St. Mary's Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area. Approximately 50 students managed to escape within 24 hours and returned to their families, while federal authorities subsequently negotiated the liberation of an additional 100 captives.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris announced on Dec. 21 that all remaining abducted pupils had been freed.
Security analysts note the escalating frequency of attacks in Niger state reflects broader instability across Nigeria's northwestern and north-central regions, where criminal gangs have intensified operations targeting vulnerable communities for ransom and resources.
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