Northern Nigeria attack leaves 15 dead, villagers targeted

At least 15 people have been killed after armed gunmen attacked three villages in north-central Nigeria, Amnesty International reported Sunday. The assaults took place simultaneously on Saturday in Tashan Maje, Saduro, and Runtuwa in the Borgu area of Niger State.

Amnesty said the attackers, riding dozens of motorcycles , “fired in all directions” and ransacked shops , describing the incidents as a horrific attack that underscores how people in the region “are constantly living on the edge and feeling helpless.” The group did not provide details on the identity of the assailants.

These attacks in north-central Nigeria are part of a criminal, profit-driven insurgency , rather than an organized religious campaign, with villagers and small-town residents bearing the brunt .

Northern Nigeria is currently facing a complex security crisis , with both Islamic militants operating in the northeast and armed criminal gangs wreaking havoc across the northwest and north-central regions, often kidnapping people for ransom.

The violence has drawn international attention, particularly from the United States. In recent months, US forces have conducted airstrikes on Islamic State-linked militants in northwestern Nigeria, while the US plans to train Nigerian troops to combat extremism. Washington has also criticized Nigeria for allegedly failing to protect Christian communities, a claim rejected by the Nigerian government, with analysts cautioning that such claims oversimplify a conflict in which civilians of all faiths are targeted.

Last week, authorities in Zamfara State reported 38 people killed and numerous abductions in a separate attack. Meanwhile, the Nigerian military said Sunday that it has made “ decisive operational successes ” against militants over the past 24 hours. Twenty suspects were arrested , and a large cache of weapons, ammunition, logistics supplies, stolen crude oil, illicit drugs, and rustled livestock were recovered, as the army continues efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and criminal gangs nationwide.