On January 5th Gunmen have attacked the Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger State, Nigeria, killing at least thirty people. The attack took place in central Nigeria, a region long plagued by militias, bandit raids, and kidnappings. The massacre was not a singular event but part of a larger issue: mass acts of violence committed against villagers becoming more regular.
The attack came weeks after gunmen seized more than 300 children and staff of a Catholic school in the state in central Nigeria. Those victims were released after nearly a month in captivity.
This region has long been plagued by a wide range of armed groups with varying methods and goals. Much of the north-central and the north-western area is dominated by criminal bandit groups. These groups regularly carry out raids on villages, mass kidnappings for ransom, and cattle rustling. With them operate Islamist insurgent factions linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. The Islamic State West Africa presence has increasingly spread to other nearby states. Local militias and splinter groups further complicate the issue, all groups together taking advantage of the weak state presence, poorly secured borders, extreme poverty, and food insecurity, all factors leaving rural communities exposed to consistent violence.
Armed banditry in north-western Nigeria expanded in the early 2010s, especially in the Zamfara State and then later spreading into the nearby regions of Niger, Katsina, and Kaduna. The violence has all but receded, according to United Nations and Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reporting. Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced over the past decade, even as defense spending and counterinsurgency operations increased.
According to Reuters, “Women and children were not spared,” said Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while fleeing. “There has been no presence of security forces since the attacks began. We are currently recovering corpses.”
The focus and expansion of violence suggest that military force alone has not solved the problems driving instability, leaving rural communities trapped between armed groups and a state unable to provide consistent protection or governance.
The attack on Kasuwan-Daji shows the routine shortcomings of a security strategy that has relied heavily on force while failing to address governance, economic deprivation, and civilian protection. As violence continues to expand despite years of military operations, rural communities remain trapped in a cycle of insecurity with little evidence that escalation has brought lasting stability.
Larson Zimmermann loves being outdoors and spending time in nature. He’s an avid reader with a strong interest in history and the stories that shaped America. Passionate about protecting state parks and preserving the environment, Larson also cares deeply about keeping American culture and traditions alive for future generations.
