Tinubu orders immediate rescue after reported mass abduction in Niger State
The Nigerian presidency has directed security agencies to launch a rescue operation following a mosque attack that local residents say saw approximately 600 people taken, with thousands fleeing to Benin Republic.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered the military and other security agencies to launch an immediate rescue operation in response to a mass kidnapping incident in north-central Niger State. The directive was issued on Tuesday, following an attack on a mosque last week that local residents claim resulted in the abduction of roughly 600 women, children, and elderly people.
While authorities are still verifying the exact number of missing persons, an armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing the alleged abductees. If confirmed, the figure would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years. Obed Nana, the Niger state commissioner for information, noted that officials were cautious about releasing specific figures given the sensitivity of the information.
The attack affected the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana, and Sabon Gida in Borgu district. An official from the district, who declined to be identified due to a lack of media authorisation, reported that 30 people were killed during the incident and buried on Sunday. The official stated that the violence had displaced a significant portion of the local population.
Abubakar Umar, the traditional head of the Dakera community, stated that at least 2,000 residents fled into neighbouring Benin Republic in the aftermath of the attack. This exodus highlights the scale of the disruption caused by the gunmen, who targeted worshippers during the service.
In its first public statement on the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as "cowardly" and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. President Tinubu stated that "Terror will not cow Nigeria," adding that the government would defend its people and uphold the sanctity of human life. He directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on the efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.
The incident aligns with a broader pattern in northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools, and highways. These groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms, having increasingly expanded their operations beyond their traditional strongholds in the north.
