Bandits have killed at least four people in Damala village, located in the Woko district of Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday, January 10, just a week after gunmen killed 42 residents across several communities in Borgu and neighbouring Agwara LGAs.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident to Channels Television on Sunday.
Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Wasiu Abiodun, said the attackers stormed the village, rustled an unspecified number of cattle, killed four residents, and set several shops ablaze before fleeing the scene.
Security forces promptly responded to the raid, Abiodun added, with a clearance operation currently ongoing.
Monitoring has been intensified in the area to prevent further attacks and protect residents.
The police assured the public that efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy remain a top priority.
Bandits have frequently targeted villages in the North-Central and North-West regions, often carrying out kidnappings for ransom and looting communities.
Niger State has been among the hardest hit, alongside Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Kebbi, and Zamfara states.
In November, armed gangs abducted over 250 students and staff from a Catholic school in Niger State.
Authorities later released the victims in two batches, without confirming if a ransom was paid.
The recent attack in Damala occurred less than 20 kilometres from Papiri village, where the school abduction took place.
Local church authorities reported a higher death toll from Saturday’s raid, claiming more than 40 fatalities.
“Reports indicate the bandits operated for hours with no security presence,” the Catholic Church in Kontagora stated on Facebook.
Nigeria faces multiple security challenges, ranging from jihadist insurgency and banditry to farmer-herder conflicts and separatist violence.
Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, highlighted the indiscriminate nature of the Damala attack
“Those killed and those abducted were traders, farmers, and schoolchildren from both Muslim and Christian backgrounds.”
Recent violent incidents include a suspected suicide bombing on Christmas Eve in Borno State, which killed at least five people at a mosque.
The United States has criticised Nigeria for its handling of security, claiming that some attacks target Christians, though Nigerian authorities reject such characterisations.
Washington carried out airstrikes on militants linked to the Islamic State group on Christmas Day, which Nigeria later approved.
In response to growing insecurity, President Bola Tinubu pledged a national security revamp and increased defence spending in the 2026 budget.
In early December, he replaced the defence minister, appointing a former top military commander to lead the ministry.
