Police say attackers burned village market, abducted residents in Borgu Local Government Area

At least 30 people were killed when terrorists attacked a village market in Kabe District, Borgu Local Government Area of Nigeria’s Niger State, police said Sunday.

The attackers stormed Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village on Saturday, setting the market ablaze, looting shops, and abducting an unspecified number of residents, according to the Niger State Police Command.

“On January 3, 2026, at about 9 pm, information received revealed that at about 4.30 pm of the same date, suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji, located at Demo village via Kabe, burnt the market, looted shops, and carted away food items,” police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement shared with Anadolu.

He added that a joint security team visited the area on Sunday morning and confirmed that more than 30 people lost their lives during the attack.

“Some persons were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims. Further developments will be communicated,” Abiodun said.

Niger State has witnessed repeated terrorist attacks in recent weeks, particularly in rural communities vulnerable to armed groups operating from forested areas.

On Nov. 21, 2025, more than 300 pupils and students were abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of the state.

While about 50 pupils escaped within the first day and were reunited with their families, the federal government later secured the release of 100 others. On Dec. 21, Information Minister Mohammed Idris announced that all remaining abducted pupils had been freed. By Kabir Adeniyi, Anadolu Agency