Tinubu Orders Manhunt As Terrorists Kill 40
By Akeem Oduyoye
President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to immediately hunt down those behind the deadly attacks in Niger State that claimed over 40 lives and left many residents abducted.
In a statement personally signed by him on Sunday, the President said the attackers must be found and punished, stressing that their actions were a direct challenge to the authority and unity of the country.
Tinubu said he had instructed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to track down everyone involved in the Kasuwan Daji attack.
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our nation. They must face the full weight of the law,” the President said. “No matter who they are or where they hide, they will be hunted down. Anyone who supports or protects them will also be brought to justice.”
The President also ordered the immediate rescue of all abducted victims and directed that security around vulnerable communities, especially those close to forests, be strengthened.
“These are painful times that demand unity. We must stand together and confront these criminals as one people. We will reclaim peace for the affected communities,” Tinubu said, while praying for the souls of those killed.
The directive followed coordinated attacks carried out on Saturday in Agwara and Borgu local government areas of Niger State. The attackers reportedly came from the National Park forest around Kabe District before storming Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village.
Confirming the incident, Niger State Police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, said the attack started around 4:30 p.m., with the assailants burning the market, looting shops and killing residents.
“At about 4:30 p.m., suspected bandits invaded Kasuwan Daji, burnt the market, looted food items and killed over 30 people,” Abiodun said, adding that security teams were later deployed to the area.
He said a joint security team had visited the scene and that efforts were ongoing to rescue those taken away by the attackers.
While police confirmed over 30 deaths, residents and community leaders said the number of victims was higher. The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, Rev. Fr Stephen Kabirat, said more than 40 people were killed.
“The terrorists killed over 40 persons and abducted several others,” Kabirat said. He added that a parish priest narrowly escaped abduction during an earlier visit by the attackers, who destroyed church items and stole motorbikes and cash.
A community source in Agwara Local Government Area said the violence spread beyond Kasuwan Daji, with several villages attacked and dozens of people killed or abducted, including women and children.
Fear has since taken over the area, with many residents fleeing their homes to nearby villages and across the river for safety.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun, condemned the killings, describing them as cruel and unacceptable.
Abiodun expressed condolences to Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the families of the victims, calling on security agencies to use all available resources to arrest and prosecute those responsible.
He also prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls and strength for their loved ones as the nation mourns another tragic loss.