At least 30 villagers were killed and others abducted in a brazen daylight attack by gunmen at Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, Niger state, northern Nigeria. The attackers, riding motorcycles, opened fire indiscriminately on the crowd, leaving no one unscathed - including women and children.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the attackers storming into the market around 4:30 pm local time on Saturday, burning stalls and looting food items before unleashing a hail of gunfire. "Women and children were not spared," said Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while fleeing the attack.
The incident is the latest in a string of deadly attacks in Niger state, which has been one of the hardest hit by violence in recent months. Security forces have struggled to contain the violence despite ongoing operations.
The attack bears the hallmarks of the tactics used by armed gangs - locally known as "bandits" - who often target remote communities with limited security and government presence. The attackers allegedly arrived from the National Park Forest along Kabe district, a common hideout for these groups.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims that Muslims are the majority victims of attacks by armed groups, insisting that Christians are disproportionately targeted. However, US President Donald Trump has made similar assertions, prompting allegations of Islamophobia.
In December, the United States conducted air strikes against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria, following Trump's pledge to take action on what he called a "Christian genocide" in Nigeria. The US operation was carried out in cooperation with the Nigerian government.
As the security situation in Niger state continues to deteriorate, the international community remains worried about the escalating violence and its implications for regional stability.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the attackers storming into the market around 4:30 pm local time on Saturday, burning stalls and looting food items before unleashing a hail of gunfire. "Women and children were not spared," said Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while fleeing the attack.
The incident is the latest in a string of deadly attacks in Niger state, which has been one of the hardest hit by violence in recent months. Security forces have struggled to contain the violence despite ongoing operations.
The attack bears the hallmarks of the tactics used by armed gangs - locally known as "bandits" - who often target remote communities with limited security and government presence. The attackers allegedly arrived from the National Park Forest along Kabe district, a common hideout for these groups.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims that Muslims are the majority victims of attacks by armed groups, insisting that Christians are disproportionately targeted. However, US President Donald Trump has made similar assertions, prompting allegations of Islamophobia.
In December, the United States conducted air strikes against ISIL (ISIS) fighters in northwest Nigeria, following Trump's pledge to take action on what he called a "Christian genocide" in Nigeria. The US operation was carried out in cooperation with the Nigerian government.
As the security situation in Niger state continues to deteriorate, the international community remains worried about the escalating violence and its implications for regional stability.
... like, isn't it weird that ppl in nigeria are just sitting there while they get attacked 
? shouldn't they be like "hold up, what's going on here?" 
instead of just being victims 
?
donald trump is literally saying that muslims are getting targeted by armed groups in nigeria... and then ppl are all like "oh no, isn't this islamophobia?" 
but what if it's true tho? 
?
like, aren't they getting paid enough or something 
? is it really that hard to keep ppl safe? 
. We need to come together as a global community to support those affected by this tragedy 
. The fact that women and children were targeted is just devastating 
. Can we please do more to prevent these kind of attacks? 
it's like a nightmare come true - women & kids caught in the crossfire 
these armed gangs are getting bolder by the day, and security is still struggling to keep up 
the US air strikes against ISIS fighters might've helped a little, but the root of the problem ain't gonna be fixed that easy 
... I keep thinking about those innocent villagers, women and kids alike, getting caught in the crossfire of these senseless attacks 
. It's like, can't we all just get along? 
.
. We need to be talking about these armed gangs and how we can tackle them effectively 
. The US air strikes against ISIS were one thing, but this kind of localized violence requires a much more nuanced approach 
.
, regardless of our faith or background. Can't we just focus on bringing peace and stability to these communities instead of fueling the flames of division 
?
.
we need more awareness about this stuff. and can we pls talk about how scary it is to live in a country with limited security? 
. But can we also talk about how this incident might be related to the broader regional dynamics? I'm not saying that one group is entirely blameless or that another group is entirely innocent 
instead of jumping to conclusions or pointing fingers 
my thoughts are with the victims' families & the people of Nigeria 
by this news... how can something like this happen in our own world? 30 people just lost their lives, imagine if it was you or someone you love 
... what can we do to stop this cycle of violence? Can we get more support for Niger state from the international community? 
.
... but on the flip side, it makes you wonder if there's some truth to the claim that Muslims are being disproportionately targeted.
but we cant blame one group or religion 4 everything 
. meanwhile, the government is all up in arms saying muslims aren't the ones getting targeted (which btw isn't true) but also blaming christians... come on, can't we just focus on security for everyone? it's just not right 
Is anyone really listening to the victims and their families? 
We need to find a way to stop this bloodshed ASAP! 
at least 30? That's just devastating 
. I wish we could all just calm down and figure out a way to make it stop 
... my heart goes out to them 
we need to do something to stop this violence and bring peace back to Niger state 
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