Bago, Abiodun, Atiku, Amnesty Int’l flay fresh attacks, demand justice

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the full activation of Nigeria’s military, police and intelligence services to track down and apprehend the terrorists responsible for the deadly attack on Kasuwan Daji community in Niger State, directing that all abducted persons be rescued without delay.
 
Tinubu issued the directives yesterday in response to the recent killings of villagers in Niger by terrorists suspected to be fleeing from Sokoto and Zamfara following the United States’ air strike on Christmas Eve.
 
Armed bandits attacked communities within Agwara and Borgu local councils of Niger, killing 30 persons and taking away many, including children.
 
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger, his Ogun counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other stakeholders have condemned the attacks, including the ones in Kaduna and Plateau states, describing them as cruel and nefarious. 
 
The President’s directive was conveyed to the Minister of Defence, the service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), mandating a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation to dismantle the terror network behind the assault.
 
Condemning the attack, which he described as a barbaric act that strikes at the heart of national security and communal peace, Tinubu noted that such violence against innocent civilians would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
 
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people,” the President said. “They must, therefore, face the full consequences of their criminal actions. No matter who they are or what their intent is, they will be hunted down. They and all those who aid, abet or enable them in any form will be caught and brought to justice.”
 
He extended condolences to the families of the victims and the government and people of Niger, assuring them that “the Federal Government stands firmly with them” in this moment of grief. 
 
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, security agencies have also been directed to intensify patrols and surveillance around vulnerable communities, particularly those located near forest belts and remote areas that have increasingly been exploited as hideouts and transit routes by criminal elements.
 
Sources from the area indicated that attacks had been ongoing in Agwara villages over the past week, occurring with little resistance from security agencies.
 
The Guardian gathered that the bandits killed many individuals in Kasuwa Daji near Papiri, five in Kaima Village, and abducted many residents, including pupils at St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri.
 
The bandits reportedly emerged from the forest a week ago, causing havoc in the villages, before they returned on January 3, 2026, for the major onslaught.
 
The Director of Communications for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese, Rev Fr Stephen Kabirat, confirmed the casualties, stating that over 40 people were killed and others taken captive.

He recounted that the Parish Priest narrowly escaped abduction when the bandits visited the Mission House, destroying religious items, stealing two motorcycles, and carting away over N200,000.
 
The police verified the attacks, explaining that around 9p.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2026, bandits struck, killing over 30 people and abducting an unspecified number.
 
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated that suspected bandits from the National Park Forest along Kabe District attacked Kasuwan Daji at Demo Village via Kabe, destroying the market, looting shops, and stealing food. A joint security team has visited the scene, and rescue efforts are ongoing.

GOVERNOR Bago noted that the victims, drawn from different communities, were both Muslims and Christians, and expressed concern over the disturbing start to the year. He urged residents to remain resolute in God.
  
The governor emphasised that his administration was working closely with the Federal Government and security agencies to restore peace in the affected areas. He confirmed that a joint security team is actively tracking the terrorists to rescue the kidnapped.
 
A statement by the Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Obed Nana, revealed that the attackers originated from Kainji Lake National Park and were moving towards Kebbi State and Rijau Local Council of Niger, reportedly fearing further strikes from the U.S.
 
Also, in a statement issued yesterday in Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun expressed heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger, over what he described as a tragic and deeply disturbing incident.
 
He called on security agencies to swiftly track down, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators, stressing that such acts of brutality must not go unpunished.

IN a post shared on its official X page, Amnesty International described the attacks as “an indication of the utter failure of the Nigerian authorities to protect lives.”
 
The organisation criticised the government’s failure to take proactive measures against insecurity, particularly in rural areas. “The Nigerian authorities have left rural communities at the mercy of rampaging gunmen who have killed thousands of people in the North since the beginning of 2020.
 
“The government has an obligation to protect its population. The rising death toll in the north of Nigeria shows just how badly the authorities are failing in this responsibility.”

ALSO, Atiku described the attacks as “heinous” and “brazen,” saying such brutality against defenceless communities is unacceptable and deeply troubling.  He condoled with the families who lost loved ones and pledged solidarity with the people and government of Niger during this painful period.
 
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, those abducted, particularly the children, and I urge the relevant authorities to act swiftly to secure their safe and unconditional release,” Atiku said.