At least 46 people have been confirmed dead after armed gangs on motorcycles launched coordinated assaults on three villages in Niger State, Nigeria, according to a humanitarian source who spoke with the AFP on Saturday.
Witnesses reported that the gunmen swept into the villages of Tunga Mcceri, Concoso, and Pisa in the early hours of Saturday morning. The assailants opened fire on residents and, in many instances, slit the throats of their victims. In addition to the killings, the attackers burned down houses, leading to the destruction of property in the affected communities.
While reports initially varied regarding the number of fatalities, with figures ranging between 30 and 46, the humanitarian source confirmed the higher toll. Authorities and local leaders fear the death count may continue to rise, as a significant number of residents remain unaccounted for following the violence.
The latest massacre is the most recent in a surge of armed attacks that have plagued the region in recent weeks. Nigeria continues to struggle to contain widespread insecurity, facing threats from both local criminal gangs, often referred to as bandits, and jihadist groups operating primarily in the northern part of the country.
