At least 32 people were killed after gunmen carried out simultaneous dawn attacks on three communities in Nigeria’s north-central region, Niger state police and a resident said Saturday. The attacks targeted Tunga-Makeri, Konkoso and Pissa in the Borgu area, according to statements from Niger State police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun and local accounts.
Abiodun said six people died in the attack on Tunga-Makeri and that authorities were still working to determine whether people were abducted there. He said the number of abductees was not yet known.
For Konkoso, Abiodun confirmed that the community was attacked but did not provide additional details. Abdullahi Adamu, a resident of Konkoso, put the death toll at 26 and described the attackers as operating without any security presence.
Abiodun said joint security teams had been mobilized to the scene for assessment, adding that efforts to rescue victims were ongoing. The reporting described the attacks as part of a broader security crisis in northern Nigeria that involves both Islamic militants and armed gangs that kidnap people for ransom.
The attacks came after a deadly incident earlier in the month in neighboring Kwara state that killed 162 people, according to the Associated Press report. The story also said Nigeria has faced pressure from the U.S. government, which accused Nigerian authorities of not protecting Christians even though attacks affect both Christians and Muslims.
The accusation has been linked to a security partnership between the two countries, including U.S. strikes targeting armed groups on Nigerian territory in December and the presence of a U.S. military team in Nigeria, the report said.