By Desmond Nleya
Motorcycle-riding gunmen attacked three villages in Niger State, Nigeria, killing at least 46 people, according to a humanitarian source who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
The assailants reportedly stormed the communities in the Borgu Local Government Area near the border with Kwara State, opening fire on residents and, in some cases, slitting victims’ throats. The deadliest assault occurred in Konkoso village, where at least 38 people were killed. Homes were set ablaze and additional bodies were still being recovered, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
A resident of Konkoso said the attackers first struck the nearby village of Tungar Makeri at around 6:00 a.m. before moving on to his community. A police spokesperson in Niger State confirmed that six people were killed in Tungar Makeri and said security operatives were investigating the other incidents. The spokesperson added that several houses were burned and an unspecified number of residents were abducted.
The Konkoso resident said four women were taken by the gunmen and that many villagers remained unaccounted for. He also reported that the attackers later moved to Pissa village, where they set a police station on fire and killed one person.
The affected area lies near the Kainji Forest, which has long been regarded as a stronghold for armed groups, including bandits and jihadist militants. Nigeria continues to face a complex security crisis, ranging from a 16-year insurgency in the northeast to farmer-herder clashes in the north-central region, separatist violence in the southeast and widespread kidnappings for ransom in the northwest.
Earlier this month, more than 160 people were killed in an attack on the village of Woro in Kwara State. The al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) claimed responsibility for its first attack on Nigerian soil near Woro last October.
Community and religious leaders in Borgu have called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a military base in the area to curb recurring attacks. Meanwhile, the United States military conducted airstrikes in Sokoto State on December 25 in coordination with Nigerian authorities, targeting what Washington described as Islamic State militants.
US President Donald Trump has alleged that Christians in Nigeria are being persecuted and subjected to genocide by terrorists. Nigerian authorities and most security analysts have rejected those claims, maintaining that the violence has affected both Christian and Muslim communities indiscriminately.
