The death toll from an armed attack on a market in Nigeria’s Niger State has climbed to 50, according to local reports.
Gunmen stormed Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village on Saturday, opening fire on residents, abducting several people and looting food supplies. A mass burial has since been held for the victims, while those injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack, describing it as an act of terrorism, and said he had ordered security agencies to track down the perpetrators and rescue those abducted.
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must face the full consequences of their criminal actions,” Tinubu said in a statement issued on Sunday.
The president also directed that security operations be reinforced around vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks.
Local residents said the assailants had been hiding in the area for about a week before launching the assault. The attack is believed to be part of a wave of raids that began on Friday in nearby communities, including Agwarra and Borgu. Residents say there has been no visible security presence since the violence erupted.
Kasuwan Daji village is located near the Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and their teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in November.
Bandit attacks and mass kidnappings have continued to escalate across northwestern and central Nigeria, as security forces struggle to contain the growing insecurity.
