30 killed in northwest Nigeria village attack, residents report

In the sweltering northwestern Niger State of Nigeria, armed assailants have unleashed a wave of violence, claiming at least 30 lives in three villages. Residents fleeing the carnage relay harrowing accounts to Reuters.

The attacks unfolded early Saturday, with sporadic gunfire marking the onset of chaos in Tunga-Makeri village and Konkoso. Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesperson for Niger State, confirmed these gruesome raids on Tunga-Makeri but remained vague about subsequent operations targeting Konkso and another location.

Abiodun’s statement underscores the severity of the situation: “Suspected bandits invaded Tunga-Makeri village… six persons lost their lives, some houses were also set ablaze. Further details are unclear.”

A local witness named Jeremiah Timothy detailed his ordeal in Konkoso. He recounted how attackers entered the village at 6 a.m., igniting the police station and indiscriminately shooting residents. Residents reported hearing military aircraft overhead as the violence escalated.

In another village, Tunga-Makeri, Auwal Ibrahim described the assault: “The bandits stormed our town around 3 a.m., riding numerous motorcycles while beheading six people and killing others. They set shops on fire and forced the whole village to flee.”

Ibrahim’s account paints a grim picture of ongoing insecurity in the region. Many villagers express fear over returning, fearing gunmen remain close by.

The surge in such attacks has placed immense pressure on Nigeria’s government to restore peace amid escalating communal violence across northern Nigeria. These incidents have drawn international attention and criticism for the failure to address persistent security issues plaguing the country.