The House of Representatives Minority Caucus has condemned the brutal terrorist attack on Kasuwan Daji Market in the Demo Community of Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State, which resulted in the killing of no fewer than thirty civilians and the abduction of many others, including women and children.
The minority caucus in a statement signed by its leaders: Rep. O. K. Chinda Minority Leader Rt. Hon. Ali Isa J.CMinority Whip Rt. Hon. Aliyu Madaki Deputy Minority Leader Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi Deputy Minority Whip declared that:
“This atrocity stands as one among a grim succession of violent incidents that have engulfed the country since Christmas Eve, underscoring the depth and spread of Nigeria’s security crisis.
“Across the North Central and North West regions, communities have endured coordinated assaults by armed groups operating with alarming confidence and firepower.
The caucus explained that: “Reports detail the violent raid on Kasuwan Daji by gunmen who arrived on motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapons, killing, maiming, looting, and abducting innocent citizens whose only crime lay in their daily pursuit of livelihood.
“These attacks occurred against the background of the earlier assault on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, where more than 250 students and staff were attacked and abducted, an incident that forced the prolonged closure of schools across Niger State and shattered public confidence in the safety of educational spaces.Beyond civilian targets, the violence has extended to the nation’s security forces.
“Since Christmas Eve, multiple attacks on military positions and patrols have been recorded, including yesterday’s tragic killing of eight Nigerian soldiers after their armoured personnel carriers ran into improvised explosive devices during operational deployments in Damask, Borno State.
“Such losses reflect a dangerous escalation in tactics by terrorist and bandit groups and highlight serious gaps in intelligence, protection, and battlefield preparedness.
“From villages razed and highways rendered unsafe, to farmers displaced and markets silenced by fear, the country faces a sustained assault on lives, livelihoods, and national cohesion.
“The Minority Caucus acknowledges the directives issued by the Federal Government to the armed forces and security agencies to apprehend those responsible for these crimes.
“Words of condemnation and after-the-fact responses, however, offer little comfort to grieving families or displaced communities. What the moment demands involves decisive, proactive, and intelligence-driven action, strengthened inter-agency coordination, improved protection for both civilians and security personnel, and a clear reassessment of the national security architecture to meet the evolving nature of these threats.
“As representatives entrusted with the defence of the public interest, the Minority Caucus expresses grave concern over the continued normalisation of mass violence across the federation.
“The Caucus calls for the immediate rescue and safe return of all abducted persons, especially children and women, and urges the security services to restore public confidence through visible, sustained, and effective action.
“The Caucus affirms its commitment to pursue legislative measures and robust oversight aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity, strengthening accountability, and advancing practical solutions that place the protection of Nigerian lives at the centre of governance.
