![[BREAKING] Terrorists attack Niger school, abduct scores of students](https://www.icirnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Bandits-123.jpg "Bandit's file picture used to illustrate the report")
SUSPECTED bandits believed to be operating from the Kainji Lake National Park have attacked a village market in Kabe District, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, killing at least 30 villagers, abducting several others, and setting the market ablaze.
The attack occurred on Saturday at Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, which the assailants reportedly accessed through Kabe.
During the raid, the gunmen allegedly looted food items and other goods, opened fire on residents, and abducted villagers along routes leading into the vast Kainji Lake National Park forest.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said a joint security team had visited the area and that efforts were underway to rescue those abducted.
“On January 3, 2026, at about 9 p.m., information received revealed that at about 4:30 p.m. of the same date, suspected bandits from the National Park forest along Kabe District invaded Kasuwan Daji, located at Demo village via Kabe, burnt the market, looted shops, and carted away food items,” Abiodun, a Superintendent of Police, said.
“On 04/01/2026 at about 8 a.m., a report indicated that a joint security team visited the scene, and over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack.
“Some persons were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims. Further developments will be communicated.”
The attack comes barely weeks after a similar incident in the state. On November 21, 2025, bandits abducted more than 300 pupils and students from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
The gunmen reportedly arrived on motorcycles around 2:00 a.m. and spent about three hours raiding the school dormitories, abducting 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers.
Following the incident, security operatives and local hunters were deployed to nearby forests in search of the abductees. About 50 pupils escaped within the first day and were reunited with their families, while the Federal Government later secured the release of 100 others.
On December 21, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that all the remaining abducted pupils of St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, Niger State, “numbering 230″, had been freed.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.