President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to track down and arrest those responsible for the deadly attack on Kasuwan Daji community in Niger State.
The President directed the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators were swiftly apprehended and made to face justice.
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must, therefore, face the full consequences of their criminal actions.
“No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. They, and all those who aid, abet, or enable them in any form, will be caught and brought to justice,” Tinubu said in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
He also ordered the immediate rescue of all abducted victims.
The directives followed the killing of villagers in Niger State by terrorists believed to be fleeing from Sokoto and Zamfara states after the United States carried out air strikes on Christmas Eve. The President condemned the attack on the Kasuwan Daji community, which involved the killing of residents and the abduction of women and children.
Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the government and people of Niger State. He assured residents that security agencies had been instructed to intensify operations around vulnerable communities, especially those close to forests that have become safe havens for criminal groups.
The President urged Nigerians to remain united and resolute, warning against divisive rhetoric capable of undermining national cohesion at a time of crisis.
“These times demand our humanity. We must stand together as one people and confront these monsters in unison.
“United, we can and must defeat them, deny them any sanctuary. We must reclaim the peace and security of these attacked communities,” he added.
The directive comes amid reports that more than 30 people were killed during a brutal assault on Kasuwan-Daji market in the Demo community of Borgu Local Government Area. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, also led to the abduction of several residents.
According to reports, the armed assailants looted food items and valuables worth millions of naira before setting the market on fire. They were said to have invaded the area in the evening and continued their operation into the early hours of Sunday.
A resident disclosed that about 42 people were tied up and killed without resistance, as the attackers allegedly emerged from the National Park in Borgu LGA and struck in broad daylight. The Niger State Police Command later confirmed the incident.
Niger State has witnessed a rise in terror-related violence in recent months. In July 2025, bandits reportedly killed 38 kidnapped villagers from Banga village despite the payment of more than ₦50 million as ransom.
In November 2025, bandits abducted over 300 pupils and students from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area. The attackers, who arrived on motorcycles around 2:00 a.m., raided the school dormitories for about three hours, abducting 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers.
Security operatives and local hunters were deployed to search surrounding forests. Within the first day, 50 pupils escaped and returned home. The Federal Government later secured the release of 100 students. By December 21, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that all the abducted pupils of St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, Niger State, “numbering 230, have been freed”.
Several northern states have continued to experience similar attacks, prompting President Tinubu to order the withdrawal of police officers from VIP protection duties for redeployment to volatile areas.
What you should know
The Kasuwan Daji market attack is part of a growing wave of terrorism in Niger State, which has increasingly become a hotspot for bandit and terrorist activity due to its vast forests and proximity to conflict zones.
President Tinubu’s directive signals a tougher security posture, with an emphasis on aggressive pursuit of attackers, rescue of abducted victims and protection of vulnerable communities.
The move also aligns with earlier steps to redeploy police personnel from VIP duties to frontline security operations across troubled regions.
