Nigeria orders manhunt after gunmen kill dozens in Niger state

Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a manhunt for gunmen who attacked a market in Niger state, killing at least 50 people in one of the deadliest assaults in the area in recent months.

The attack occurred at Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, where members of an armed gang stormed the area on Saturday, opening fire indiscriminately, abducting residents, and looting food supplies, according to local reports. A mass burial has since been held for the victims, while those wounded are receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, President Tinubu condemned the violence and directed security chiefs to track down those responsible.

“I have directed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the DSS to hunt down the terrorists behind the Kasuwan Daji attack and ensure they are brought swiftly to justice,” he said.

“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must face the full consequences of their criminal actions,” the president added. “No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. Those who aid, abet, or enable them will also be brought to justice.”

‘Secure vulnerable communities’

Tinubu also ordered the immediate rescue of all those abducted during the assault and instructed security agencies to intensify operations around vulnerable communities, particularly those located near forested areas often used as hideouts by armed groups.

“These times demand our humanity,” he said. “We must stand together as one people and confront these monsters in unison. United, we can and must defeat them and deny them any sanctuary. We must reclaim peace for these attacked communities.”

Niger state, in Nigeria’s north-central region, has witnessed a surge in violent attacks in recent weeks. Rural communities have been especially vulnerable to armed gangs—commonly referred to as bandits by locals—who regularly carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and raid villages.

On November 21 last year, gunmen abducted 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers, from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.

While about 50 students escaped within a day, the federal government later secured the release of others in phases. On December 21, Information Minister Mohammed Idris announced that all remaining abducted pupils had been freed.