Africa-Press – Nigeria. Forty Nigerians were killed, while more than 100 others were abducted in Niger State, central Nigeria, during attacks carried out by armed individuals dressed in military-like attire.
The attacks occurred in communities within the Borgu Local Government Area, where police and local residents reported that over 100 people were kidnapped during the assaults.
A police spokesperson stated that more than 40 individuals were killed in the attacks targeting the villages of Dikara, Jidan Zana, Sabon Gida, and Masaka.
Authorities suspect that armed criminal gangs, known as “bandits,” are behind the attacks. These groups operate in various regions of Nigeria and rely on kidnapping and looting for ransom.
Residents reported that the armed individuals entered the village of Dikara after prayers, gathered several locals, and took them to nearby forests before moving on to adjacent villages.
A local representative confirmed the occurrence of the attacks, which come at a time when armed groups have intensified their activities in the remote Borgu area, bordering Kebbi and Kwara states, as well as its proximity to Benin.
The recent attacks differ from a series of kidnappings that took place in the same region earlier.
Earlier this month, police announced the rescue of 145 individuals who had been abducted from four villages in Borgu: Konkoso, Kasuwan-Daji, Tungam-Makiri, and Shafashi.
These individuals were part of 308 people reported to have been freed during a large-scale security operation, including over 160 individuals kidnapped in the neighboring Kwara State.
The attacks highlight the ongoing security challenges in Niger State and the broader North-Central Nigeria region, where armed groups exploit remote forests and weak security presence to carry out raids and kidnappings targeting isolated communities.
The Borgu area has also been linked to the activities of extremist groups operating in parts of Northwest Nigeria and along the border region.
Local officials reported that extremist fighters have entered several communities in recent months, imposing religious restrictions on the residents.
The recent attacks have raised concerns that some of the armed individuals may be seeking to recruit youth.
The security situation in Borgu remains extremely precarious; local officials reported that over 20 individuals were killed in the area during the past week.
In November 2025, armed individuals kidnapped over 200 students from a school in Babiri, Niger State, before releasing the children after about a month.
Despite repeated military and security operations, large parts of Niger State remain difficult for security forces to access, allowing armed groups to use forested areas as havens to carry out attacks against isolated communities.
