A coordinated assault by armed militants on the village of Kasuwan Daji in Nigeria’s Niger State has resulted in a devastating death toll and multiple kidnappings, according to official statements. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, saw assailants set a local market ablaze and systematically loot shops for supplies before executing civilians. Niger State police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed that over 30 individuals were killed, with an undisclosed number abducted during the raid. Contradicting this figure, local church authorities reported the death count exceeded 40, alleging that security forces were absent for hours during the bandits’ operation. Images verified by AFP depict victims with their hands bound behind their backs, indicating executions. President Bola Tinubu’s administration attributed the violence to terrorists potentially displaced by recent U.S. airstrikes in northwestern Nigeria targeting Islamic State-affiliated militants. Tinubu vowed that perpetrators and accomplices would face justice, emphasizing a renewed commitment to national security reforms, including increased defense allocations and recent ministerial changes. The incident underscores Nigeria’s escalating security crisis, where jihadist insurgencies, banditry, and inter-communal violence strain military resources nationwide. This attack occurred merely 20 kilometers from the site of November’s mass abduction of 250 students and staff from a Catholic school, highlighting the region’s persistent vulnerability.