Gunmen on motorcycles launched a deadly attack in three villages in central Nigeria, killing at least 46 people by shooting or cutting their throats, as reported by a humanitarian source to AFP. This incident once again highlighted Nigeria’s struggle to address security challenges, which has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump. According to a security report reviewed by AFP, the assailants utilized 41 motorcycles, each carrying two or three individuals.
The targeted villages are located in the Borgu local government area of Niger State, near the border with Kwara State, where over 160 individuals were previously killed by jihadists. The most severe attack occurred in Konkoso village, where 38 people were either shot or had their throats slit. Many homes in the village were burnt down, and additional bodies are still being recovered.
Residents reported that the gunmen first attacked Tungar Makeri village before moving to Konkoso. The police in Niger State confirmed six deaths in Tungan Makeri, where houses were set on fire, and several people were abducted. The fear persists that the death toll could rise as authorities are investigating the attacks on the other two villages.
The region along the border of Kwara and Niger states, including the Kainji Forest, is known to harbor bandits and jihadists. Nigeria has been combating a jihadist insurgency in the northeast for over 16 years, alongside conflicts between farmers and herders, separatist violence, and kidnappings for ransom in various regions of the country. Jihadist groups have expanded their activities in the northwest and west-central regions due to escalating insecurity in neighboring countries like Niger and Burkina Faso.
Local armed groups, known as “bandits,” have been causing chaos by raiding villages, committing murders, and abducting residents. Recent attacks in Kwara State and the surrounding areas have prompted calls from religious and community leaders for increased military presence to halt the recurrent violence. Last year, the US military conducted airstrikes in Sokoto State in collaboration with Nigerian forces to target Islamic State jihadists.
President Trump has alleged that Christians in Nigeria are facing persecution and genocide at the hands of terrorists. However, Nigerian authorities and most experts have refuted these claims, emphasizing that the violence affects individuals of all religious backgrounds indiscriminately.