A former Brigade Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East, Yahaya Lakale, has disclosed that there was no active security presence at the Kasuwan Daji Market in Niger State at the time of the recent attack by suspected terrorists.
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Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Lakale revealed that as of 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, a total of 55 bodies had been counted following the devastating attack. He explained that he insisted the exact number of casualties be properly ascertained before any burial was carried out.
According to him, conflicting reports had emerged after the incident, making it necessary to document the casualties accurately.
“Several narratives have been coming up and people are bringing a lot of information, but I can tell you for free that as of 10:00 yesterday morning, we counted 55 dead bodies. I personally told them not to bury them until they are counted, until we take records, videos, pictures, and the rest of them,” he said.
Lakale further noted that the affected community in Niger State has been without any meaningful security presence for a long time.
He also revealed that Papiri village—where schoolchildren were previously kidnapped by suspected bandits—and Kasuwan Daji Market, where the recent killings occurred, are located close to each other.
In his words:
“Papiri village, where the kidnapping of schoolchildren took place, and Kasuwan Daji are just a stone’s throw apart. It is about a 20-minute drive. However, Kasuwan Daji is located in Borgu Local Government Area.”
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