President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the military, the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) to launch an intensive manhunt for those responsible for the deadly attack on Kasuwan Daji market in Niger State, which left no fewer than 30 people dead and scores abducted.
The President also instructed security agencies to ensure the immediate rescue of all kidnapped victims, stressing that those behind the attack would not escape justice.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following Saturday’s assault on the market located in the Demo community of Borgu Local Government Area.
Armed attackers reportedly stormed the market, killing traders and residents, abducting women and children, and setting shops ablaze before fleeing the area.
President Tinubu linked the attack to terrorist elements believed to be relocating from parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states after recent foreign military strikes disrupted their bases.
“These criminals have deliberately challenged the authority of the Nigerian state and the safety of our people.
They must be tracked down and made to face the full weight of the law,” the President said.
He warned that anyone aiding or supporting the attackers in any form would also be held accountable.
“No individual or group involved in these acts, including collaborators and enablers, will evade justice,” Tinubu added.
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Police Command said suspected bandits emerged from forest routes linked to the Kabe District and invaded the market, looting food supplies and burning structures.
Police spokesperson, Superintendent Wasiu Abiodun, said preliminary investigations indicate the attackers operated from forest enclaves connected to the National Park corridor.
The President expressed condolences to the families of those killed and to the government and people of Niger State, assuring them that security operations around vulnerable communities would be strengthened.
His directive comes weeks after airstrikes conducted by the United States military targeted terrorist enclaves in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State during the Christmas period, disrupting jihadist movements in the region.
Security experts believe the dislodged fighters may be attempting to establish new bases in parts of Niger State, exploiting porous forest routes and rural settlements.
Residents of Kasuwan Daji disclosed that suspicious movements of armed men had been noticed around nearby communities days before the attack.
The affected area is also close to Papiri community, where hundreds of students and teachers were abducted from a Catholic school in November 2025.
President Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain united in the face of growing security challenges, cautioning against inflammatory statements capable of deepening divisions.
“This is a moment that calls for national unity and shared resolve. We must stand together to deny these violent groups any refuge and reclaim peace for our communities,” he said.
Nigeria was ranked the sixth most terror-affected country in the world in 2025, according to the Global Terrorism Index, with rising fatalities linked to non-state armed groups.
In response, Tinubu has proposed a ₦5.41 trillion allocation for security in the 2026 budget, aimed at boosting military capacity, enhancing inter-agency collaboration and supporting community-based peacebuilding initiatives.
