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At least 30 people were killed and several others abducted after gunmen raided a northern Nigerian village over the weekend, ABC News reports.
The incident took place in the Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger state's Borgu local government area Saturday (January 3) night. Gunmen opened fire on residents, demolishing several houses and the local market, Niger state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun confirmed in a statement addressing the incident.
At least two residents were among the 37 reported to be killed as of Sunday (January 4), with officials claiming the death toll could be much higher as others remained missing. Residents also contradicted claims by police that security forces were present in the area at the time of the report.
Rev. Fr. Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the incident took place, told local media that more than 40 people were killed and some children were among the abducted victims. The gunmen were reported to have been lurking around nearby communities for about a week prior to the incident taking place, a resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity over fear of his safety said via ABC News.
“The bodies are there (in Kasuwan-Daji village). If we don’t see any security, how can we go there?” the resident said, claiming that the attack lasted up to three hours.
The incident is the latest among several in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, where gangs have sought control over remote communities that have limited security and government presence. More than 300 schoolchildren and teachers were kidnapped from a Catholic school in the nearby Papiri community in November, following a typical trend involving armed gangs in the area.