A deadly attack by suspected bandits has plunged the Demo community in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State into mourning, following the killing of more than 30 people during a raid on a popular local market.
The attack occurred on Saturday at Kasuwan Daji market, where traders and residents had gathered for routine business before armed men stormed the area, shooting indiscriminately and throwing the market into chaos.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants arrived at the market in the late afternoon and operated freely for several hours. During the raid, the attackers reportedly looted foodstuffs and other valuable items worth millions of naira before setting the market ablaze.
By the time the gunmen withdrew, no fewer than 30 people, including women, had been killed, while several others were abducted. Some residents alleged that the casualty figure could be higher than officially confirmed.
A resident of the community, who spoke by phone, claimed that more than 50 people were tied up and killed during the attack, adding that the assailants faced little or no resistance from security forces as the operation stretched into the early hours of Sunday.
Residents further alleged that the bandits emerged from the National Park located within Borgu Local Government Area, a development that has heightened fear among neighbouring communities.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said security agencies had visited the scene and verified the deaths of over 30 people.
According to Abiodun, the police received a distress report at about 9 pm on January 3, 2026, indicating that suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kabe District had invaded Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village at about 4:30 pm.
He stated that the attackers burnt the market, looted shops, carted away food items, and kidnapped an unspecified number of persons before fleeing the area.
Abiodun added that a joint security team visited the community at about 8 am on January 4, 2026, where the casualties were confirmed. He noted that efforts were ongoing to rescue those abducted and assured residents that further updates would be provided as investigations and rescue operations continue.
