Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has made a startling revelation about the recent bandit attack on Kasuwan Daji market in the Kontagora Local Government Area, stating that the criminals deliberately chose the location because it serves as a major hub for stolen goods.
The market, long suspected by locals and security officials as a trading point for items stolen during banditry operations across the North Central region, was attacked by armed bandits on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The assailants opened fire indiscriminately, killing several traders and shoppers while carting away large sums of money and other valuables.
Speaking during an emergency security meeting in Minna, Governor Bago did not mince words about why the market became a target.
He said, "Kasuwan Daji market was attacked because it is a market of thieves. Bandits know that is where they sell their loot. They go there to trade stolen cows, motorcycles, and other items taken from communities. So when they feel the heat or suspect betrayal, they turn around and attack the same place to silence witnesses or recover their money."
The governor emphasized that the attack was not random but a calculated move by criminal elements to protect their illicit economy. He pointed out that for years, intelligence reports had flagged the market as a notorious black market for proceeds of banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling.
Bago assured residents that his administration is taking decisive steps to dismantle such criminal networks. He announced plans for intensified security operations around known black markets, stricter surveillance on suspicious transactions, and collaboration with neighbouring states to trace and intercept stolen goods before they reach buyers.
The governor also called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and market associations to cooperate fully with security agencies by providing credible information and avoiding any form of protection for criminal elements.
This latest incident has heightened fears in Kontagora and surrounding communities, where residents now worry that markets once seen as economic lifelines could become repeated targets in the ongoing banditry crisis.
As investigations continue, Governor Bago's blunt assessment has sparked widespread debate online and in local circles about the deep-rooted links between insecurity, illicit trade, and economic survival in parts of the North.
The question many are asking remains: How can legitimate commerce thrive when criminal economies have taken root so deeply?
Speaking during an emergency security meeting in Minna, Governor Bago did not mince words about why the market became a target.
He said, "Kasuwan Daji market was attacked because it is a market of thieves. Bandits know that is where they sell their loot. They go there to trade stolen cows, motorcycles, and other items taken from communities. So when they feel the heat or suspect betrayal, they turn around and attack the same place to silence witnesses or recover their money."
The governor emphasized that the attack was not random but a calculated move by criminal elements to protect their illicit economy. He pointed out that for years, intelligence reports had flagged the market as a notorious black market for proceeds of banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling.
Bago assured residents that his administration is taking decisive steps to dismantle such criminal networks. He announced plans for intensified security operations around known black markets, stricter surveillance on suspicious transactions, and collaboration with neighbouring states to trace and intercept stolen goods before they reach buyers.
The governor also called on traditional rulers, community leaders, and market associations to cooperate fully with security agencies by providing credible information and avoiding any form of protection for criminal elements.
This latest incident has heightened fears in Kontagora and surrounding communities, where residents now worry that markets once seen as economic lifelines could become repeated targets in the ongoing banditry crisis.
As investigations continue, Governor Bago's blunt assessment has sparked widespread debate online and in local circles about the deep-rooted links between insecurity, illicit trade, and economic survival in parts of the North.
The question many are asking remains: How can legitimate commerce thrive when criminal economies have taken root so deeply?
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