President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an intensified manhunt for terrorists responsible for the deadly attacks on communities in Niger State, as fresh details emerged on the scale of killings, abductions and destruction across the Agwara and Borgu local government areas.

The directive followed the attack on Kasuwan Daji and surrounding villages, where more than 30 people were killed and dozens abducted, including schoolchildren, in coordinated raids by armed bandits suspected to have emerged from forest enclaves in the area.
In a statement on Sunday, President Tinubu said he had instructed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to “hunt down the terrorists behind the Kasuwan Daji attack and ensure they are brought swiftly to justice”.
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must face the full consequences of their criminal actions,” the President said. “No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. In addition, those who aid, abet, or enable them will also be brought to justice.”

Tinubu also ordered the immediate rescue of all abducted victims and directed that security operations be stepped up around vulnerable communities, particularly those close to forested areas.
“These times demand our humanity. We must stand together as one people and confront these monsters in unison,” he said. “United, we can and must defeat them and deny them any sanctuary. We must reclaim peace for these attacked communities.”
Local sources said the attacks had been ongoing for over a week, with bandits exploiting what residents described as weak security presence in remote villages. In Kasuwan Daji near Papiri, dozens were reportedly killed, while five others were confirmed dead in Kaima village. Several residents, including pupils of St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, were abducted and taken across the river into forest hideouts.

Residents said the assailants burned down a market on Saturday, January 3, 2026, looted shops and carted away foodstuffs, leaving many villagers displaced. Some communities have reportedly fled into nearby bushes for safety amid fears of further attacks.
The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, Reverend Father Stephen Kabirat, confirmed the scale of the violence, saying more than 40 people had been killed, with many others taken captive.
He said the parish priest narrowly escaped abduction when bandits stormed the mission house, destroyed religious items, stole two motorcycles and made away with over ₦200,000 in cash. “They were looking for the priest, but he managed to escape. They abducted villagers, including children,” Father Kabirat said.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that the attack occurred around 9pm on Saturday. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said suspected bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji at Demo Village via Kabe.

“They destroyed the market, looted shops and stole food items, killing over 30 people and abducting an unspecified number of residents,” Abiodun said, adding that a joint security team had visited the affected communities and that rescue and stabilisation operations were ongoing.
Residents and community leaders have renewed calls for urgent and sustained federal intervention, warning that without a stronger security presence, more villages could come under attack.