At least 30 people were killed and several others abducted when armed bandits stormed a crowded weekly market in Kasuwan Daji village, Niger State on Saturday afternoon, in the latest escalation of violence plaguing northern Nigeria.

The attackers, arriving on motorcycles around 4:30 p.m., opened indiscriminate fire on civilians, set market stalls ablaze, and looted food supplies before fleeing into nearby forests. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with women and children among the victims.

Niger State Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the death toll exceeded 30, stating security forces were pursuing the assailants and working to rescue abductees. Local residents fear the actual number could be higher, with some estimating up to 40 dead across linked raids in nearby Chukama and Shanga villages.

Survivors said the gunmen targeted traders and shoppers, destroying homes and infrastructure. Bodies remained unrecovered for hours due to delayed security response, heightening community frustration.

The assault follows a recurring pattern of bandit raids exploiting remote areas and forested hideouts. It comes just weeks after the abduction of over 300 pupils and staff from a Catholic school in the same state, underscoring persistent insecurity despite federal military operations.