A rural market in central Nigeria was raided, resulting in dozens of fatalities and numerous kidnappings, police reported on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun, cited by Reuters, stated that “Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, and some persons were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims.”
Abiodun detailed that the gunmen assaulted the Daji market in Demo village, located in Nigeria’s Niger state, around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, setting fire to stalls and confiscating food supplies.
Eyewitnesses described observing the gunmen prior to them opening fire.
Local residents indicated that this assault occurred after previous raids in nearby villages, such as Agwarra and Borgu, which had commenced on Friday.
Dauda Shakulle, who sustained injuries while escaping, stated that not even women or children were spared.
“There has been no since the attacks began. We are currently recovering corpses,” Shakulle added.
The Nigerian Police Force did not provide an immediate response to Digital’s inquiry for comment regarding the incident.
This attack occurs amidst a surge of mass kidnappings throughout Nigeria in recent months, encompassing the abduction of 25 girls from a boarding school in in November and the seizure of more than and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School in Niger state.
The Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), a Catholic religious congregation, confirmed that all individuals abducted from the school have since been safely released.
“From the first hours of the abduction, the OLA family—together with the local Church in the Diocese of Kontagora, the families of Papiri, and communities across Nigeria—was upheld by a remarkable global solidarity of prayer and advocacy. We extend our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to all who stood with us during this painful time,” stated Sister Mary Barron, the congregation leader of the OLA Sisters.
According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), escalating insecurity and insurgent violence in northern Nigeria are pushing hunger to unprecedented levels, with projections indicating that nearly 35 million people will experience severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season.
The in November indicated that unchecked hunger during the lean season—the pre-harvest period when food supplies are typically at their lowest—could further destabilize the region by enabling insurgent groups to capitalize on desperation and broaden their influence.