Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has described Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village, Borgu Local Government Area, as a “market of thieves” following a bandit attack that left over 40 people dead and scores, including elderly women and children, kidnapped.

Governor Bago made the remarks during a condolence visit to the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, stressing that the attack underscores broader security challenges in communities surrounding Kainji Lake.

“People were slaughtered, murdered in a market square. This market is called Kasuwan Daji. Kasuwan Daji is the market of thieves, by definition, stolen cattle and cows are sold in the market,” Bago said in a video obtained by SaharaReporters.

During the visit, the governor announced a two-month deadline for residents of hamlets within the Kainji Lake forest to relocate to designated resettlement areas. The initiative aims to flush out criminals hiding in the forest and prevent future attacks.

Bago also warned the Emirate Council about unmonitored settlement, stating that some communities had been infiltrated by armed groups and extremist ideologies, including Boko Haram. “People don’t even know where settlers are coming from. They pay money, get land, build houses, and settle. Some come with dangerous weapons and ideologies,” he said.

His Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, added that uncontrolled population movement in the region had complicated security operations. The government instructed the Emirate Council to collaborate with security agencies and other authorities to address insecurity.

The resettlement directive follows a series of violent incidents in Niger State, including the January 2026 attack on Kasuwan Daji market and the November 2025 abduction of pupils and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, which led to temporary school closures.