More than 30 people were killed and several others abducted during a brutal attack by armed bandits in Nigeria’s Niger State, police said on Saturday, highlighting the worsening security crisis in the country’s north-central region.
According to local authorities, gunmen stormed the village of Kasuwan Daji in the Kabi area, setting fire to the local market and looting shops in search of food. The attackers, commonly described by residents as criminal bandits, carried out the assault with extreme violence before fleeing the area.
Niger State police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed that more than 30 people lost their lives in the attack and that several villagers were kidnapped. Residents, however, warned that the death toll could be significantly higher. At least two locals said they had counted 37 bodies, adding that a number of people were still missing as of Sunday.
Armed criminal gangs have increasingly carried out mass kidnappings, village raids and looting across northwestern and north-central Nigeria, targeting rural communities with limited security presence. Niger State has been among the hardest hit in recent months.
In November, the state witnessed one of the largest school abductions in recent years, when more than 250 students and staff were kidnapped from an educational institution. The victims were released weeks later in two phases following negotiations.
Follow the latest news on Google News
