According to ABC News and AP (cited in major Nigerian feeds), gunmen launched a brutal raid on a village in Niger State, killing at least 40 people and abducting scores of others, including children. The attackers targeted a local market and set numerous houses ablaze, leaving the community in ruins. This incident is part of a resurgence of violence that has plagued the North-Central region in the early days of 2026.
Survivors reported that the attackers opened fire indiscriminately, catching traders and shoppers off guard. While the police claim to have deployed security forces to the area to rescue the kidnapped victims, local residents have expressed frustration over the perceived delay in the arrival of reinforcements during the hours-long assault.
The attack was also corroborated by The Punch and Premium Times. The Punch reported that ‘terrorists kill over 40 in Niger market raid,’ while Premium Times noted that ‘death toll rises to 50 in Niger state market attack’ as more bodies were recovered from the surrounding bushes.
Echotitbits take: This attack exposes the fragility of the security gains claimed during the 2025 holidays. Market raids are particularly devastating because they destroy the local economy and food supply chains. The government’s response in the coming days will determine if this remains an isolated incident or the start of a new wave of insurgency in the North-Central.
AfricaNews – https://www.africanews.com/2026/01/05/nigeria-death-toll-rises-to-50-in-niger-state-market-attack/ January 6 2026
Photo Credit: AfricaNews
