Northern Nigeria has been rocked by two significant tragedies, with a deadly bandit attack on the Kasuwan Daji Market in Niger State claiming numerous lives and a separate boat accident in Yobe State resulting in multiple fatalities. The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have both condemned the incidents and called for decisive action.

The bandit attack on Kasuwan Daji Market, located in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, occurred on Saturday, January 3, 2026, around 4:30 p.m. Terrorists, reportedly emerging from the Kainji National Park, surrounded the market, slaughtering traders and buyers. They also kidnapped several individuals, including women, children, and pupils and students from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, who had recently been rescued from a previous abduction. Eyewitnesses reported that victims were assembled and brutally slaughtered, with some estimates placing the death toll at about 60, though a joint security team confirmed over 30 fatalities. Forty-three corpses, including both Muslims and Christians, were buried en masse the following day. After the market attack, the terrorists moved through the community, shooting residents, setting homes ablaze, and looting foodstuffs and valuables before torching the market. The attacks continued from Saturday afternoon into the early hours of Sunday.

The Niger State Police Command confirmed the attack, stating that over 30 victims lost their lives and efforts are underway to rescue the abducted. The Niger State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Obed Nuhu Nana, revealed that the terrorists also targeted a police outpost in Shafacci village and a Catholic school in Sukumbara village. He linked the relocation of Boko Haram terrorists from Kainji Lake National Park to parts of Kebbi and Rijau LGA of Niger State to recent US airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in Sokoto and Kwara states. The Niger State Government expressed its sorrow and pledged collaboration with federal authorities and security agencies to prevent future attacks.

This market attack is part of a renewed wave of insecurity in Niger North Senatorial District local government areas, including Borgu, Agwara, Mariga, Rijau, Magama, and Mashegu, since October 2025. Previous incidents include the abduction of over 200 pupils, students, and staff from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, in November 2025, and numerous kidnappings of farmers and travellers. High-profile individuals, such as Alhaji Alhassan Bawa Niworo, a former Chairman of the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board, and Barrister Ahmed, a Permanent Commissioner of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission, were also abducted, with families paying significant ransoms. The Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Haliru Dantoro, had previously urged the federal government to comb the Kainji National Park, identified by residents as a terrorist haven.

In a separate tragic event, a boat capsize in Yobe State claimed at least 25 lives, with several others still missing. The Northern States Governors Forum expressed deep sorrow over this incident, describing it as heartbreaking, and called for improved safety measures in water transportation to prevent similar tragedies. They urged relevant authorities to review and enforce transportation safety protocols, particularly in riverine communities.

Both the NSGF and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have strongly condemned the Kasuwan Daji attack. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Chairman of the NSGF, described the market attack as a cruel assault on innocent citizens and a serious threat to regional peace and economic activities. He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to track down and bring the perpetrators to justice, while extending condolences to the victims' families and praying for the safe rescue of those abducted. President Tinubu directed the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to track down and apprehend the perpetrators, ensure they face swift justice, and urgently rescue all abducted victims. He reiterated that the attackers, suspected to have fled from Sokoto and Zamfara following US airstrikes, have tested the nation's resolve and must face the full consequences of their criminal actions. The President assured Niger State residents of intensified security operations in vulnerable communities near forest hideouts.