President Bola Tinubu has ordered a coordinated manhunt involving the military, police, and State Security Service to apprehend the terrorists who carried out a deadly raid on the Kasuwan Daji market in Niger State. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, January 3, 2026, resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people and the abduction of numerous women and children.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the attackers are believed to be remnants of the Lakurawa terrorist group fleeing Sokoto and Zamfara states following significant U.S. airstrikes on Christmas Eve. Witnesses in the Demo community reported that the gunmen invaded the market at approximately 4:30 p.m., opening fire on traders before looting food supplies and setting stalls ablaze. The attackers reportedly retreated into the Kainji Lake National Park forest, a known hideout for insurgent groups in the region.
The President has instructed the Minister of Defence and all Service Chiefs to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of all kidnapped victims. This directive follows a disturbing pattern of violence in the area, coming just weeks after the release of over 300 students and staff who were abducted from a nearby Catholic school in late 2025. Local reports indicate that some of the children taken in Saturday’s raid were among those recently freed from captivity.
In his 2026 budget proposal, President Tinubu designated security as the top priority, allocating N5.41 trillion to modernize military equipment and improve joint agency operations. The Presidency emphasized that the current manhunt is a test of national resolve and vowed that no sanctuary would be left for those responsible for the massacre. Joint security teams have since intensified patrols around vulnerable rural communities and forest borders to prevent further incursions.
