No Sanctuary for Monsters President Tinubu Orders Manhunt After Niger State Market Massacre
ABUJA, NIGERIA President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a stern directive to Nigeria's top security chiefs to "hunt down" and apprehend the perpetrators of a deadly weekend attack on the Kasuwan Daji community in Niger State
The assault, which occurred on Saturday January 3, 2026 saw armed terrorists invade a local market, killing at least 30 people and abducting scores of women and children.
A Vicious Assault on Civilians
According to preliminary reports from the Niger State Police Command, the attackers descended on Kasuwan Daji in the Borgu Local Government Area around 4:30 PM. Witnesses described a scene of chaos as the gunmen:
Targeted the Market Set fire to the central marketplace, destroying livelihoods and looting food items.
Mass Abductions Carried away an unspecified number of residents, primarily women and children, into the nearby National Park forest.
Fleeing Targets Security analysts believe the perpetrators are terrorists fleeing from Sokoto and Zamfara states following recent airstrikes conducted on Christmas Eve.
The President’s Response
In a statement released on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga President Tinubu made it clear that the government would not tolerate such "barbaric" acts
These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its people. They must, therefore, face the full consequences of their criminal actions,” the President declared. “No matter who they are or what their intent is, they must be hunted down.”
The President’s specific directives include
1. Immediate Manhunt The Minister of Defence and Service Chiefs have been ordered to track the attackers to their forest hideouts.
2. Rescue Operations Security agencies are mandated to urgently secure the release of all kidnapped victims.
3. Intensified Patrols Mandated increase in security presence around vulnerable communities near the Kabe District and National Park borders.
Context: The "Lakurawa" and Sahel Infiltration
The attack comes barely two weeks after the United States military conducted drone strikes in Sokoto State targeting the Lakurawa group, an affiliate of jihadist organizations operating in the Sahel. Officials believe the pressure in the North-West is pushing these groups south into the forest reserves of Niger State.
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