Communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and North-Central region are reeling from a fresh spate of deadly attacks carried out by armed bandits and suspected terrorist groups, with simultaneous crises unfolding in Niger and Kwara States that have together deepened fears of an escalating security emergency.
In the early hours of Saturday, armed gunmen riding in large numbers on motorcycles launched coordinated raids on rural communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, killing villagers, torching homes and a police outpost, and prompting mass displacement.
According to multiple eyewitness accounts, the attackers struck Tungan-Makeri, Konkoso and Pissa communities, shooting indiscriminately, burning houses and setting the police station in Pissa alight. Residents said the assailants moved from village to village for several hours before withdrawing as a military helicopter was reportedly sighted overhead.
While community sources insist at least 26 people were killed, including farmers and local residents fleeing their homes, official figures from the Niger State Police Command confirmed six deaths in Tungan-Makeri alone but acknowledged that details of the wider attack and any possible abductions remain unclear.
Local leaders in Borgu Kingdom had only days earlier issued a “Save-Our-Soul” plea to the Federal Government, urging the establishment of a military base to curb repeated attacks on villages along the Benin border. Their fears appear to have been vindicated as survivors described communities left without effective protection.
The fresh Niger State violence follows one of the deadliest attacks in recent memory in Kwara State, where gunmen earlier this month reportedly slaughtered scores of villagers and released a video claiming 176 residents in their captivity.
The assault, centred on the Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, occurred in early February and appears to have been carried out by an organised extremist group operating in the forested corridors near the Kainji National Park. While initial reports cited up to 162 people killed, government figures vary and the attackers in a widely circulated video claimed 176 captives, including women and children.
Local residents and families have since identified relatives in the footage, intensifying calls for urgent rescue operations. The Kwara State Government has stated it is working with security agencies to secure the release of the captives and condemned the violence in the strongest terms.
Analysts suggest the Kwara massacre represents a dangerous shift, as jihadist groups and affiliated bandit networks exploit weak governance and porous forest corridors to extend their reach beyond traditional strongholds in the North-West and North-East.
Both Niger and Kwara States have seen deployment of military and police units in response to the attacks, although residents report that security forces were late or insufficient during the initial raids. In Borgu, joint security teams have been mobilised to assess the situation and begin rescue operations for any remaining abductees.
At the federal level, officials have stressed intensified operations against armed groups across the Middle Belt, while denying that communities are left undefended. Yet criticism remains strong from traditional leaders and civil society groups who argue that long-standing security vacuums have emboldened criminal gangs and terrorist factions alike.
The combined impact of these attacks has been harrowing. Families in Niger State have begun burying the dead, while others have fled into neighbouring forests and towns. In Kwara, the sheer scale of the Woro massacre and the uncertainty over the fate of dozens held by militants has prompted humanitarian outreach efforts and widespread trauma among affected communities.
With violence showing no sign of abating and extremist and criminal networks demonstrating increased coordination and capacity, Nigeria’s security situation remains precarious. Local leaders and security experts warn that without robust, sustained action – including improved intelligence, ground operations and community protection – more communities risk becoming targets in a conflict that continues to inflict grievous losses on ordinary citizens.
