Quick Read
- Gunmen attacked Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, Niger state, Nigeria, on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
- At least 30 villagers were killed, with some reports suggesting a higher toll of 37 or more, and an unspecified number of others were abducted.
- The attackers, described as ‘bandits,’ arrived on motorcycles, opened indiscriminate fire, burned market stalls, looted food, and razed houses during an assault lasting up to three hours.
- Survivors reported no security presence during or immediately after the attack, leading to fear in recovering bodies.
- This incident is part of ongoing violence in northern Nigeria, a region struggling with widespread insecurity and limited government presence, where forest reserves serve as hideouts for armed gangs.
A wave of terror swept through a remote village in northern Nigeria last Saturday, leaving a trail of death and despair. Gunmen, described by authorities and witnesses as ‘bandits,’ stormed the bustling Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, Niger state, indiscriminately opening fire on residents, killing at least 30 people and abducting an unspecified number of others. This brutal assault, which also saw market stalls burned and essential food items looted, is the latest in a relentless cycle of violence plaguing Africa’s most populous nation.
The attack unfolded around 4:30 PM (15:30 GMT) on Saturday, January 3, 2026, catching the community off guard. According to Wasiu Abiodun, the Niger police spokesman, the gunmen arrived on motorcycles, a common tactic for these groups, and unleashed chaos for up to three hours. ‘Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack; some persons were also kidnapped,’ Abiodun confirmed in a statement on Sunday. However, some residents, speaking to news outlets like ABC News and CNN, placed the death toll higher, at least 37, fearing it could climb further as many people remained missing and survivors were too terrified to recover bodies.
A Community Under Siege: The Human Cost of Insecurity
The sheer savagery of the attack left an indelible mark on the survivors. Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while desperately fleeing the onslaught, recounted the horror to Reuters, stating, ‘Women and children were not spared.’ This detail underscores the indiscriminate nature of the violence, which rips through the fabric of communities, leaving behind deep psychological scars in addition to physical wounds. The inability or fear of survivors to retrieve their loved ones’ bodies speaks volumes about the pervasive sense of abandonment and vulnerability. ‘The bodies are there (in Kasuwan Daji village). If we don’t see any security, how can we go there?’ one distraught resident questioned, highlighting the desperate need for protection.
The attackers reportedly emerged from the National Park Forest along the Kabe district, a familiar pattern in Nigeria where vast forest reserves serve as impenetrable hideouts and staging grounds for armed gangs. These ‘bandits’ exploit the challenging terrain and limited government presence to carry out their deadly raids, often targeting remote communities that lack adequate security infrastructure. Their motives are varied but typically revolve around ransoms from abductions, looting, and asserting dominance over local populations, creating a parallel economy of fear and extortion.
Nigeria’s Enduring Battle Against Banditry
This incident is far from isolated. Northern Nigeria, particularly states like Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina, has been grappling with an escalating security crisis for years. The term ‘banditry’ often encompasses a complex web of criminal enterprises, including cattle rustling, mass kidnappings, and village raids, making it one of the most pressing challenges for the Nigerian government. Despite ongoing military operations and increased deployment of security forces, containing the violence has proven incredibly difficult. The sheer scale of the country, coupled with porous borders and the vastness of ungoverned spaces, allows these groups to operate with a degree of impunity.
Niger state, where this latest tragedy occurred, has been disproportionately affected. Just last November, the Borgu local government area, the same region as Demo village, witnessed another harrowing event: the mass abduction of over 300 schoolchildren and their teachers from a Catholic school. Those victims endured nearly a month in captivity before their eventual release, a stark reminder of the long shadow cast by these criminal gangs. Such incidents not only devastate families but also disrupt education, agriculture, and local economies, pushing already vulnerable populations deeper into poverty and despair. In some areas, desperate vigilante groups have emerged, attempting to fill the security vacuum left by state forces, though often with mixed results and the risk of further escalating violence.
International Spotlight and Divergent Narratives
The persistent insecurity in Nigeria has not gone unnoticed on the international stage, albeit sometimes through a controversial lens. United States President Donald Trump, in the weeks leading up to this latest attack, had publicly threatened military action, describing the violence as targeted killings of Nigeria’s Christians. This narrative, which gained traction among certain right-wing and Christian evangelical circles, prompted a swift response from the Nigerian government, which rejected the assertion, arguing that Muslims constitute the majority of victims in attacks by armed groups, reflecting the broader, non-sectarian nature of banditry and insurgency.
Indeed, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, just over a week before the Kasuwan Daji raid, the US, in cooperation with Nigeria, conducted air attacks against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria. This action followed President Trump’s pledge to address what he termed a ‘Christian genocide’ in the region. ‘Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria,’ Trump declared on his Truth Social platform. While international cooperation against terrorism is a shared goal, the framing of the conflict and the potential for mischaracterization raise complex questions about the efficacy and implications of foreign intervention in such a multifaceted crisis.
The tragedy in Kasuwan Daji is a grim testament to the enduring and devastating impact of unchecked banditry in northern Nigeria. It highlights not only the immediate loss of life and the immense suffering inflicted upon communities but also the profound systemic failures in governance and security that allow such atrocities to persist. As international attention occasionally flickers on the region, the core challenge remains a domestic one: how to effectively dislodge these deeply entrenched criminal networks, restore state authority, and, most importantly, protect the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians caught in the crossfire. Until these fundamental issues are addressed, villages like Demo will continue to live under the constant threat of violence, their markets turning from vibrant hubs of commerce into sites of unspeakable horror.