Nigeria continues to grapple with a surge in violent attacks and kidnappings across multiple states, with communities in Adamawa, Kastina, Kogi, and Plateau recently hit by deadly assaults and abductions.
11 Killed, 2 Injured in Katsina Community Attack
Eleven persons have been killed and two others injured after suspected bandits attacked the Gurbi community in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The incident is the latest in a wave of violent attacks across communities in the North-West and other parts of Nigeria in recent days.
According to the Katsina State Police Command, the attack occurred at about 2:40 pm on Saturday, April 26, 2026, when armed men stormed the village and opened fire on residents before security forces could respond.
The injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were released to their families for burial according to Islamic rites.
Police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq said a joint security team comprising police, military, and other agencies swiftly responded to the distress call, but the attackers fled upon sighting them.
He added that normalcy has since been restored, while additional tactical units have been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ali Fage, has deployed additional tactical teams to the area to forestall further attacks,” he said, adding that intelligence-led patrols have also been intensified.
Authorities have assured residents that efforts are ongoing to track down and prosecute those responsible.
Adamawa State Attack: Death Toll And Aftermath
Armed men killed at least 29 people in Guyaku village in Nigeria’s Adamawa State on Sunday evening, 27th April 2026, in an attack that lasted several hours and left property destroyed, officials said.
It was learned that the attack in Adamawa, which has thrown Guyaku into mourning, reportedly lasted for hours as the heavily armed insurgents stormed the village, unleashing terror on defenseless residents.
The community, along with Garkida, shares border with the dreaded Sambisa forest, along the Adamawa-Borno federal highway.
Survivors said the attackers killed scores, razed homes, burned places of worship, and destroyed valuable property, including motorcycles and other means of livelihood.
A local leader, Aggrey Ali, of Kumo Gombi, said the community was left helpless as the insurgents operated for an extended period, causing widespread devastation before fleeing. “They came in large numbers and attacked our people without mercy. Many were killed, our worship centres were burned, and properties destroyed,” he lamented.
The incident has left fear and tension at Guyaku and surrounding communities, with many residents, particularly women, children and the elderly, fleeing their homes over concerns of another possible attack.
Governor’s Response in Adamawa
Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who rushed to the area in the early hours of yesterday, after the attack, described the massacre as tragic, barbaric and completely unacceptable.
The governor, who also sympathised with bereaved families, condoled the residents over the killings, and pledged intensified collaboration with security agencies to track down the perpetrators and prevent future assaults.
“This is a painful moment for our state. The killing of innocent citizens in such a cruel manner is unacceptable. We will not relent in our duty to protect lives and property,” he said.
Governor Fintiri’s visit was seen by residents as both symbolic and reassuring, as he promised immediate government intervention, support for victims, and renewed security surveillance in affected areas.
“My heart breaks for the people of Guyaku,” Adamawa’s Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said in a post on social media as he visited the bereaved community on Monday.
“Today, I stood on the ground where our brothers and sisters were cruelly taken from us. This act of cowardice is an affront to our humanity and will not go unpunished,” he said.
Fintiri also said his administration would continue to support “military and vigilante groups” as it intensified security operations in response to the attack.
The regional affiliate of the ISIL (ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on the Telegram messaging app, according to the Reuters and Associated Press news agencies.
23 Kidnapped In Kogi State: Victims And Rescue Progress
Eight children are still missing after gunmen raided an unregistered orphanage in Nigeria’s north-central Kogi State and kidnapped 23, authorities have said.
Kogi’s information commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said 15 children were rescued due to the “prompt and coordinated response” of security agencies.
Sunday’s attack also saw the owner of the facility taken, he added.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but security sources say the state has a functional Boko Haram cell, and that there have been several violent attacks in the area.
Nigeria is also grappling with a kidnap crisis in many parts of the country, with criminal gangs abducting people for ransoms. The government has made paying ransoms illegal but this has not prevented the kidnappings.
“The government remains fully committed to ensuring the rescue of all the victims,” Fanwo said.
His statement on Monday also highlighted that the orphanage was “operating illegally” in a “bushy environment” without the knowledge of relevant authorities.
Fanwo urged operators of orphanages, schools, and similar institutions to always engage appropriately with the appropriate government agencies “especially in the current security climate”.
Mass kidnappings in schools are not uncommon in Nigeria, especially in the country’s northern region which is currently plagued by insecurity. This is the first time an orphanage has been targeted.
In November 2025, more than 300 students and their teachers were abducted from one Catholic Secondary School in Niger State, also in the north central region of Nigeria.
They were released in two batches with the last group regaining freedom more than one month after.
The government denied reports that any ransom had been paid, or that two Boko Haram commanders had been freed as part of the deal.
Gunmen have raided an orphanage and kidnapped at least 23 children, authorities in Nigeria report.
The gang took the children late on Sunday from an unregistered facility called the Dahallukitab Group of Schools, located in an “isolated area” in Kogi State’s capital, Lokoja, Kogi Information Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said in a statement on Monday.
Fanwo said the “prompt and coordinated response” of security agencies led to the rescue of 15 children but eight are still missing.
The wife of the proprietor of the orphanage was also abducted, according to the statement.
“Intensive operations are ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining eight victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” the official said.
Expanded Rescue Updates in Kogi
There was relief in Kogi State as police operatives rescued 17 pupils abducted during an attack on an Islamic school and orphanage in Lokoja.
Police confirmed that 26 victims including 24 students and two wives of the proprietor have now been rescued, while efforts continue to secure the release of the remaining victims.
Commissioner of Police, Naziru Bello Kankarofi, has ordered massive deployment of tactical teams to comb surrounding forests and track down the kidnappers.
Government Reaction in Kogi
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government condemned the attack, describing it as unfortunate and avoidable.
Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, revealed that the school was operating illegally in a remote area without proper registration, raising security concerns.
He warned against establishing institutions in isolated locations without government approval, stressing that such actions expose vulnerable children to danger.
Plateau State Violence: Killings And Security Crackdown
Similarly, gunmen on Sunday night attacked Gako Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing a pastor, his wife and two children, in what residents described as a fresh wave of violence in the area.
The victims were identified as Rev. Ayuba Choji, his wife, Chundung Ayuba, and their two children, Cyril Ayuba and Endurance Ayuba.
Sources in the community said the assailants stormed the village at about 11 p.m. and opened fire indiscriminately.
A community member, Martha Dalyop, told Vanguard that the gunmen invaded the area late at night, shooting sporadically and causing residents to flee for safety.
She lamented that the recurring attacks had continued to leave communities in fear, with many unable to sleep in their homes or tend to their farms.
Confirming the incident, the Publicity Secretary of Berom Youths Moulder-Association, Rwang Tengwong, said the latest attack showed that the assailants were now targeting relaxation spots, farming communities and local vigilantes protecting rural areas.
According to him, the attackers often split themselves into groups during operations, with some launching attacks on residents, others destroying farmlands, while another group mounts surveillance or blocks roads to prevent escape or intervention.
Tengwong further disclosed that a large expanse of farmland had been destroyed by gunmen in the past 48 hours at Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
Rescue and Security Operations in Plateau
Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have rescued a kidnapped woman and recovered N8 million ransom paid by her family during a coordinated operation in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The rescue followed days of intelligence gathering after the victim was abducted on April 19.
The troops also recovered N8 million, which had earlier been paid as ransom by the victim’s family, adding that the money had been returned to them.
The victim was taken to the General Hospital in Shendam for medical examination before being reunited with her relatives.
Government and Security Response in Plateau
Plateau State authorities and community leaders have repeatedly called for intensified military presence and stronger action to halt the recurring violence.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has consistently condemned such attacks in recent statements, describing them as coordinated efforts to destabilise communities and vowing to strengthen collaboration with security agencies to restore peace across affected areas.
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