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At least two residents put the death toll at 37 and said it
could be much higher as some people remained missing as of
Sunday. Locals also said the security forces are yet to arrive
in the area, contradicting a police claim that they have
deployed officers to search for those kidnapped.
Rev. Fr. Stephen Kabirat, a spokesman for the Catholic Church of
Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media
that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and abducted several
others, including children.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack and said he
has directed security officials to hunt down the gunmen and
rescue the hostages.
“These terrorists have tested the resolve of our country and its
people,” Tinubu said in a statement. “They must face the full
consequences of their criminal actions. No matter who they are
or what their intent is, they must be hunted down. In addition,
those who aid, abet, or enable them will also be brought to
justice.”
The gunmen had been lurking around nearby communities for about
a week before the attack, according to one resident who asked
not to be named for fear of his safety. Now survivors are too
afraid to go recover the bodies.
“The bodies are there (in Kasuwan-Daji village). If we don’t see
any security, how can we go there?” the resident said, adding
that the attack lasted for up to three hours.
Such attacks are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous
country, where dozens of rogue gangs seeking control often
target remote communities with limited security and government
presence.
The attack on Kasuwan-Daji village happened near the Papiri
community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and their teachers
were kidnapped from a Catholic school in November.
The attackers who raided Kasuwan-Daji arrived from the National
Park Forest along Kabe district, according to the police,
pointing to a usual trend where abandoned expansive forest
reserves act as hideouts for armed gangs.
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