At least 30 people were killed in a terrorist attack on a village in Niger State, Nigeria, according to police reports. Armed assailants emerged from a nearby forest near Kasuwan-Daji village on Saturday, setting fire to the local market and looting shops. Witnesses said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, gathered villagers, and opened fire indiscriminately. Local sources also reported that several people were abducted during the assault.

Officials from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the incident, stating that villagers were captured and killed. The agency’s representative, Abdullahi Rofia, said residents were terrified and hiding, fearing further attacks. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said emergency teams had been dispatched to assist the injured and that security forces were working to rescue the abducted individuals.

The Nigerian government has designated such armed groups as terrorists and banned ransom payments, though reports suggest the rule is often ignored. The attack highlights the continuing wave of violence and kidnappings in Nigeria’s western and central regions.

At least 26 people have died and 14 remain missing after a passenger boat carrying farmers and fishermen capsized in northeastern Nigeria. The accident occurred late Saturday night as the vessel was traveling from Jigawa State to Yobe State, according to the country’s emergency services. Mohammed Goje, executive director of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, said rescue teams and volunteers have recovered 26 bodies so far and rescued 13 passengers alive. Search operations for the missing continue.

Boat accidents are common on Nigeria’s busy waterways, often caused by overloading, poor maintenance, and disregard for safety regulations. Each year, such incidents claim numerous lives across the country’s river transport routes.

Authorities have not yet provided further details on the cause of the latest accident or the total number of passengers on board.

A United States missile strike on Islamic State (IS) targets in Nigeria’s Sokoto State on Christmas Day has drawn mixed reactions both within the country and internationally. The missile reportedly landed just meters from the only health center in Jabo village, causing panic among residents. Supporters of former US President Donald Trump and right-wing groups in the United States celebrated the attack as a “Christmas gift,” while Nigerian observers raised concerns over national security, sovereignty, and civilian safety.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer praised the strike on social media, calling it a justified act against Islamic terrorists. Florida Republican congressman Randy Fine described the attack as a “remarkable Christmas gift,” and other Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina, commended Trump for authorizing the strike, citing IS’s responsibility for the deaths of thousands of Christians and religious minorities in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s government has long faced violence from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Officials have reiterated that while they welcome international cooperation in counterterrorism, such actions must respect the country’s sovereignty and legal framework.

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States carried out an airstrike in northwestern Nigeria against ISIL fighters. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday evening, Trump said the strike was conducted under his direction as commander in chief and described it as a powerful and lethal attack against ISIS terrorists. He claimed the militants had targeted innocent Christians and warned earlier of severe consequences if such killings continued.

US Africa Command, which oversees American military operations in Africa, confirmed the strike, stating it was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple ISIL militants. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and hinted at further actions without providing details. The command said the strike took place in “Soboto State,” believed to refer to Sokoto State.

The attack followed Trump’s earlier directive to the Pentagon to plan possible military action over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, claims the Nigerian government denied, saying armed groups target both Muslims and Christians. Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the operation reflected structured security cooperation with international partners.

A bomb explosion inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno State, killed at least seven worshippers during evening prayers on Wednesday, December 24. Witnesses and security sources confirmed the incident, though no group has claimed responsibility. Local anti-jihad militia leader Babakura Kolo described it as a deliberate attack, while some witnesses suggested it might have been a suicide bombing. Police confirmed the blast and said bomb disposal units were deployed to the site.

The explosion occurred in the Gamboru market area, a district that has previously faced attacks from insurgent groups. An NGO operating in Maiduguri advised its staff to avoid the area following the incident. Borno State has long been the epicenter of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgencies, which have killed around 40,000 people and displaced nearly two million since 2009.

Although large-scale attacks in Maiduguri have declined in recent years, analysts warn that militant groups retain the capacity to launch deadly assaults, highlighting persistent instability in Nigeria’s northeast.

At least 12 people were killed and three others abducted when armed men attacked a mining site in Atoso village, Plateau State, Nigeria, late Tuesday night. Local leaders told Reuters that the assailants, identified by residents as armed Fulani militia, opened fire on workers before fleeing the scene. Five more victims were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Police spokesperson Alfred Alabo confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the incident. The attack underscores the persistent insecurity in central Nigeria, where ethnic and religious tensions between farming communities and herders have repeatedly erupted into violence. Local youth leader Daliop Solomon Mwantiri of the Berom Youth Moulders Association condemned the assault and urged authorities to strengthen protection for rural communities.

Despite repeated government pledges to restore peace, Plateau State continues to experience deadly clashes. Analysts warn that without stronger law enforcement and reconciliation efforts, such attacks could further destabilize the region’s fragile security landscape.

Nigerian security forces have rescued 100 students abducted last month from St. Mary’s Catholic Boarding School in Papiri village, Niger State. The joint military-police operation freed the hostages on December 7, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The attack, carried out on November 21 by armed assailants, initially saw 227 students and 12 teachers taken hostage.

Authorities launched an immediate rescue mission that lasted 15 days, resulting in the safe recovery of 100 students. However, 127 students and teachers remain missing, and their whereabouts are still unknown. CAN’s Niger branch leader, Daniel Atori, said the organization has received no updates from the government and continues to pray for the safe return of those still held.

The incident underscores Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, particularly in the country’s northern and central regions, where armed groups influenced by al-Qaeda and Islamic State have intensified attacks on Christian institutions. Similar mass abductions have occurred in Kaduna and other states, highlighting the persistent threat to education and religious communities.

Nigeria’s Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has resigned, citing health reasons, according to a statement from the president’s office on Monday. The resignation comes at a time when President Bola Tinubu has declared a national security emergency following a surge in armed banditry and kidnappings across the country. In recent weeks, incidents have included the abduction of a priest and several others from a church in Kogi State, and the kidnapping of around 490 people from various regions, including 315 children from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State. The government has responded by ordering mass recruitment into the police and military forces. Nigeria, with a population of over 220 million, reportedly has only about 370,000 security personnel, many of whom are assigned to protect wealthy individuals rather than rural communities, leaving vast areas vulnerable to criminal activity.

Armed attackers abducted 14 people, including a newlywed bride, her ten bridesmaids, a newborn, and two other women, from Chacho village in Sokoto State, northeastern Nigeria, between Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Local residents reported that the assailants raided the village under cover of darkness, marking the latest in a string of mass abductions plaguing the region in recent months. A local intelligence report confirmed the incident, noting a sharp rise in kidnappings by bandit groups in Sokoto during November—the highest in a year. Authorities suspect that failed peace negotiations between neighboring states and criminal gangs may have contributed to the surge. The same village was attacked in October, when 13 people were abducted and later released after ransom payments. The incident follows other recent mass kidnappings, including 25 students in Kebbi State and over 300 people in Niger State, underscoring Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

At least 27 worshippers were killed during dawn prayers when armed assailants stormed a mosque in Katsina state, Nigeria, early Tuesday morning.

Local residents reported that gunmen opened fire inside the mosque in the remote community of Unguwan Matau around 4 a.m. Worshippers scattered in panic, but the attackers also targeted those fleeing. Several others were injured.

No group has yet claimed responsibility. Authorities have deployed military and police forces to the area.

Deadly armed raids are increasingly common in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, often fueled by land and water disputes between herders and farmers. In June, more than 100 people were killed in a similar attack in north-central Nigeria.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported that at least 652 children have died from malnutrition and hunger in Nigeria’s Katsina State between January and June 2025. The crisis has been exacerbated by a significant reduction in international aid, particularly from the US, UK, and EU. MSF noted a 208% increase in the number of severely malnourished children compared to last year. The UN World Food Programme has already announced the suspension of aid to 1.3 million people by the end of July. Insecurity, armed robbery, and mass displacement have further complicated the humanitarian situation in Katsina.

At least 150 people have been killed in sudden floods that swept through Mokwa, a city in Nigeria's central Niger State, earlier this week, according to emergency agency spokesperson Ibrahim Audu Husseini. He warned that the death toll could rise further. The disaster has displaced over 3,000 people, completely destroyed 300 homes, and washed away two bridges. Earlier, the Daily Trust newspaper reported that thousands were left homeless and more than 50 children from an Islamic school were missing.