President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full-scale manhunt for terrorists responsible for coordinated attacks on communities in Niger State that left at least 42 villagers dead and several others abducted.
The directive followed weekend raids on Borgu and Agwara local government areas, where gunmen reportedly stormed villages, set houses and markets ablaze, looted foodstuffs and valuables, and abducted residents, mostly women and children.
Reacting to the attacks on Sunday, Tinubu said the assailants had “tested the resolve of our country and its people” and must face the full weight of the law. He instructed security agencies to track down the perpetrators, dismantle their networks and urgently rescue all abducted victims.
The orders were conveyed to the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa; the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oloyede; the service chiefs; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi.
In a statement issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president declared:
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must, therefore, face the full consequences of their criminal actions.
No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. They, and all those who aid, abet, or enable them in any form, will be caught and brought to justice.”
Tinubu condemned the assault on Kasuwan Daji community and the abduction of women and children, sending condolences to the families of the victims as well as the government and people of Niger State. He assured residents that security agencies had been mandated to intensify operations around vulnerable communities, particularly those near forests used as criminal hideouts.
“These times demand our humanity. We must stand together as one people and confront these monsters in unison,” the president said. “United, we can and must defeat them, deny them any sanctuary. We must reclaim the peace and security of these attacked communities.”
Suspected terrorists reportedly raided several communities in Borgu and Agwara on Saturday night, operating for about two hours without resistance. Sources said the attackers arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, burning markets and homes and making away with food items.
At least 30 people were killed in Kasuwan Daji near Papiri village in Agwara Local Government Area, while another five were reportedly killed in Kaima village. In one incident, two villagers who attempted to resist the attackers were slaughtered in the presence of their families, triggering panic among residents. An unspecified number of villagers, mostly women and children, were abducted.
Security sources told THISDAY that the gunmen may have been fleeing from neighbouring states following intensified military operations.
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, said the attacks occurred around 9pm on Saturday.
“The command received reports that suspected bandits attacked and killed over 30 persons and abducted unconfirmed number of persons in the villages,” he said.
“At about 9:30pm on Saturday, suspected bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji located at Demo Village via Kabe, killed over 30 persons, burnt the market and looted shops and carted away food items.”
Abiodun added that a joint security team had been deployed to the area and that efforts were ongoing to rescue abducted victims.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, described the attacks as “cruel and nefarious,” saying it was disturbing to begin the year with such violence. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor urged residents to remain calm and assured them that the state government was working with federal authorities to restore security.
Bago dismissed suggestions of a genocidal motive, noting that victims were drawn from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. “The victims of the attack at the Kasuwan Daji market are both Muslims and Christians drawn from different communities,” he said.
Commissioner for Information, Obed Nana, attributed the violence to terrorists fleeing from operations in Kwara and Kebbi states, adding that the assailants also attacked a police outpost and a Catholic missionary school, destroying property but causing no casualties there.
Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun, condemned the killings as “callous, senseless, and a crime against humanity,” urging security agencies to swiftly arrest and prosecute those responsible.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Ogun State and my colleagues in the Southern Governors’ Forum, I commiserate with the Government and people of Niger State over the dastardly attacks by terrorists that left 42 people dead and many others abducted,” Abiodun said, adding that the incident should not dampen the resolve of the Niger State government to protect lives and property.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum, led by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, also condemned the assault, describing it as a grave threat to peace and livelihoods. Yahaya called the attacks morally reprehensible and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa, described the attacks as “barbaric and inhumane,” calling on the president to declare an all-out war on terrorism.
“For far too long, innocent Nigerians have been massacred in cold blood by terrorist elements who operate with impunity from forest enclaves across the country,” Musa said, urging decisive military action to dismantle terrorist camps and supply chains.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said troops of the 12 Brigade in Kogi State neutralised three suspected bandits and arrested a logistics supplier during coordinated patrols and ambush operations. In a statement by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the Army said arms and ammunition were recovered during the operations and that the suspect was in custody.
The Army added that the operations underscored its commitment to sustaining aggressive, intelligence-driven actions to deny criminal elements freedom of movement and restore security across affected areas.
