Residents of a Niger State community have raised fresh security concerns following the reported movement of suspected bandits in the area, just days after a deadly attack on a local market.
The alarm was raised in Kasuwan Daji, located in Borgu Local Government Area, where villagers said they sighted armed men believed to be bandits moving around the community, triggering fears of another imminent attack.
The development comes shortly after gunmen stormed the Kasuwan Daji market, killing scores of villagers and abducting several others. While the Niger State Police Command confirmed that 30 people lost their lives in the attack, community leaders have disputed the figure, insisting that between 42 and 60 victims were killed.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire indiscriminately, forcing traders and shoppers to flee in panic. The assailants were also said to have set market stalls ablaze and carted away food items, leaving large sections of the market destroyed and many bodies scattered at the scene.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, a resident said the suspected bandits were seen again on Sunday evening moving through Kasuwan Daji and neighboring areas.
“We just saw a large number of bandits passing again through Kasuwan Daji in Borgu and Agwara local governments. We are living in fear now. Please help us alert the security agencies to be on standby. Everyone here is in terrible shape,” the resident said.
Another source confirmed that the armed men were sighted entering the area through Agwara Local Government Area.
“These movements have been ongoing since Sunday afternoon. People are scared because they may be settling in the forests close to our communities,” the source added.
Residents have called on security agencies to urgently deploy personnel to the affected areas to prevent a repeat of the recent massacre and restore confidence among the already traumatized population.
