The charred remains of stalls and the sudden silence of Kasuwan Daji Market tell a story of terror that residents of Demo community, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, are still struggling to comprehend after armed bandits killed no fewer than 42 people and abducted several others.
The attack, which occurred on Saturday, January 3, 2026, shattered what was meant to be an ordinary market day, as gunmen stormed the area, fired indiscriminately at traders and customers, set parts of the market ablaze and fled with an unspecified number of captives.
Survivors and residents described scenes of panic, confusion and helplessness as people ran for cover, abandoning goods and loved ones in a desperate bid to escape the gunfire. By nightfall, the market — once a vibrant centre of trade and social interaction — had been reduced to rubble, with livelihoods destroyed alongside lives.
Reacting to the tragedy, Distinguished Senator Natasha H. Akpoti-Uduaghan said the massacre underscored the growing vulnerability of ordinary Nigerians to violent attacks.
“My heart is heavy as I mourn the innocent men and women who were brutally murdered at Kasuwan Daji Market,” the senator said in a statement issued on Monday. “These were traders, mothers and fathers whose only aim was to earn an honest living.”
She extended condolences to grieving families and the people of Niger State, noting that communities were now battling fear, trauma and uncertainty.
“No words can fully heal this pain,” she said. “I pray that God grants the bereaved strength and comfort to endure this devastating loss.”
Beyond the loss of lives, residents said the burning of the market and the abduction of community members had dealt a severe blow to local commerce and social stability, leaving families without income and children traumatised by the violence.
Akpoti-Uduaghan warned that such attacks inflict lasting damage on already vulnerable communities, deepening poverty and insecurity.
“When markets are destroyed and people are taken away, entire communities are pushed backwards,” she said.
She called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently pursue the attackers and ensure justice for the victims.
“Those responsible must be tracked, arrested and made to face the full consequences of the law,” she said. “Our people deserve protection.”
The senator also urged authorities to adopt a more proactive, intelligence-driven security approach, particularly in rural areas frequently targeted by criminal gangs.
As mourning continues in Demo and neighbouring communities, residents say their hope now rests on justice, improved security and the assurance that markets meant for survival will no longer become killing fields.
Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded by reaffirming her commitment to advocating stronger security measures and justice for victims of violence across the country, insisting that the suffering of communities like Kasuwan Daji must not fade into silence.
Kasuwan Daji Market Massacre Deepens Niger’s Grief as Akpoti-Uduaghan Calls for Justice
