Dozens Slain and Scores Abducted in Multi-State Terror Attacks

MAIDUGURI/MAKURDI/LOKOJA:  Nigeria faced a grim start to the week as a series of coordinated attacks by insurgents, armed herdsmen, and kidnappers across five states left at least 53 people dead and dozens more, including schoolchildren, in captivity.

The wave of violence spanned Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, and Ondo states, highlighting a deteriorating security situation that has left rural communities vulnerable and sparked fresh condemnation of the nation’s security architecture.

Adamawa: Massacre at the Forest’s Edge

In the deadliest incident, Boko Haram insurgents launched a late-night raid on the Guyaku community in the Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State. At least 39 residents were confirmed killed.

The attackers, reportedly emerging from the Sambisa Forest, besieged the village for several hours. Local leaders described a scene of absolute devastation:

• Casualties: Scores killed, with many others injured while attempting to flee.

• Property Damage: Homes razed, places of worship incinerated, and motorcycles the primary means of local livelihood destroyed.

• Displacement: Thousands of residents, primarily women and the elderly, have fled toward safer zones.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri visited the site on Monday, describing the massacre as "barbaric and completely unacceptable." He pledged intensified collaboration with security agencies to prevent future incursions along the Adamawa-Borno federal highway.

Plateau: Clergy and Family Executed

In Plateau State, the village of Gako in Riyom LGA was targeted by gunmen on Sunday night. The attackers murdered Rev. Ayuba Choji, his wife, and their two children.

Community advocates noted a shift in tactics, reporting that assailants are now operating in specialized groups: one to launch direct attacks, one to destroy farmlands, and another to block escape routes.

Kogi: School Raid and Child Abductions

Terror struck the Zariagi area of Lokoja as gunmen invaded the Dahallukitab Group of Schools. Twenty-three pupils and the wife of the school’s proprietor were abducted from the facility, which also serves as an orphanage.

Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed that security forces successfully rescued 15 pupils during a swift response operation. However, eight victims remain in captivity. Fanwo noted that the facility was operating "outside regulatory oversight" in a remote, high-risk area, urging all educational institutions to register for better security monitoring.

Benue & Ondo: Farming Communities Under Fire

• Benue State: Suspected herdsmen killed seven people in a two-day assault on the Channel One community in Logo LGA. The attackers reportedly used the deserted village of Shaor as a staging ground.

• Ondo State: In Akure North LGA, gunmen abducted farm manager Afolabi Ajayi in broad daylight at the Imafon community. Police tactical teams have been deployed to the surrounding forests to track the kidnappers.

Presidency Defends Record Amid Crisis

As the nation grapples with these security breaches, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga briefed journalists on the administration’s progress. While not addressing the specific attacks of the weekend, Onanuga asserted that President Bola Tinubu’s first three years have been "monumental."

He highlighted several key initiatives aimed at long term stability:

• NELFUND: The National Education Loans Fund, providing financial ease for students.

• Health Sector Reform: Executive orders leading to lower-cost local drug production.

• Infrastructure: A planned nationwide media tour to verify "transformative" projects across all 36 states.

Despite the administration's "Renewed Hope" agenda, the weekend’s bloodshed has intensified calls from civil society and local leaders for a more proactive federal strategy to secure Nigeria’s rural heartlands.