At least 32 people were killed in the early hours of Saturday, 14 February 2026, when suspected armed bandits launched coordinated dawn attacks on three rural communities Tunga-Makeri, Konkoso, and Pissa all  in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Residents said the gunmen, who arrived in large numbers on motorcycles, invaded the communities shortly after daybreak, firing indiscriminately and setting several houses ablaze. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as villagers fled into surrounding bushes to escape the attackers. Survivors reported that the raids appeared synchronized, with the three communities coming under assault almost simultaneously, suggesting a high level of coordination.
The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that security authorities received reports of the attacks early Saturday morning. He stated that at least six people were killed in Tunga-Makeri, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries. According to him, joint security teams were immediately mobilized to the affected areas to restore calm and begin rescue operations.
However, residents of Konkoso said the death toll there was significantly higher than initial official figures. A local resident, Abdullahi Adamu, told reporters that no fewer than 26 people were killed in Konkoso alone. He alleged that the attackers operated for hours without immediate resistance, moving from house to house and targeting fleeing residents. Community members have since begun burying victims in accordance with local customs.
In Pissa, a border community located near the frontier with the Benin Republic, homes and food storage facilities were reportedly destroyed. Although authorities have yet to release a verified casualty figure for Pissa, residents confirmed multiple deaths and several abductions. Families are still searching for missing relatives, and the exact number of those kidnapped remains unclear.
Security sources indicated that the attackers retreated into nearby forest corridors believed to connect to wider bandit routes stretching across parts of north-central Nigeria. Borgu’s proximity to forest reserves and international border pathways has made it vulnerable to incursions by armed groups seeking hideouts and escape channels.
Medical personnel and local volunteers have been assisting the injured, while displaced residents have sought temporary shelter in neighboring communities. Humanitarian concerns are growing as affected families face loss of homes, food supplies, and livelihoods. Many of the victims were reported to be farmers and traders, heightening fears of further economic disruption in the agrarian region.
Authorities in Nigeria have pledged to intensify security operations in Borgu and surrounding areas. Investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators and dismantle the networks responsible for the coordinated assaults. Community leaders have called for the establishment of permanent security outposts and improved intelligence gathering to prevent future attacks.
The incident adds to a series of violent raids in rural parts of Niger State in recent months, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing communities across northern and north-central Nigeria. Residents are urging both state and federal authorities to implement stronger protective measures to safeguard lives and property in vulnerable border and forested regions.
