Mass attack by militants on villages in Nigeria: at least 30 dead and hundreds of homes burned
Kyiv • UNN
Armed militants on motorcycles attacked three villages in Nigeria, killing at least 30 people. Hundreds of homes were burned, forcing residents to flee.
Armed attackers on motorcycles carried out a series of bloody raids on three settlements in Niger State, northwestern Nigeria. According to eyewitnesses, at least 30 people were killed in the attacks, and extensive infrastructure damage forced surviving residents to massively flee their homes in search of safety near the border with Benin. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
The attacks began early Saturday morning when a large group of militants on more than 200 motorcycles stormed into villages in the Borgu district. In the village of Tunga-Makeri, the assault began around 03:00 local time – the bandits opened chaotic fire, setting fire to shops and residential buildings. Local residents report the particular brutality of the attackers, who not only shot people but also carried out public executions, forcing the entire population to flee into the jungle.
The village of Konkoso suffered the largest number of casualties, where militants appeared around six in the morning. According to witnesses, the attackers first burned down the police station, after which they began indiscriminately shooting at civilians. In this settlement alone, 26 deaths were recorded. Despite the fact that residents heard the noise of military aircraft in the sky, people did not receive real help on the ground during the active phase of the attack, and the bandits continue to remain in the vicinity of the captured areas.
Humanitarian situation and government response
Niger State police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the attacks, but official data on the number of victims and abducted persons are currently being clarified. Law enforcement officers acknowledge the deaths of six people in Tunga-Makeri and confirm the mass abduction of civilians, the number of whom could be in the dozens. Currently, security forces are trying to regain control over the territories where militants have effectively replaced law enforcement agencies.