Nigeria: Jihadis kidnap dozens during Friday prayers
Witnesses said men carrying guns and machetes set upon two villages in Niger State. Many details about the attack have yet to be confirmed by police.
On Friday, extremists launched a brutal attack on worshipers in Nigeria's Niger State, abducting dozens of people during Friday prayers. The armed men targeted the villages of Gidan-Zana and Kpenya, before breaching the mosque and attacking worshippers. One survivor recounted the horrifying scene to AFP, describing the attackers as armed with guns, knives, and machetes.
They slaughtered some worshippers, claiming they were not adhering to true Islamic teachings. Multiple news agencies reported that up to 60 people were kidnapped, though police claimed no lives were lost. The origin of the attack remains unconfirmed, with witnesses suggesting the gunmen belonged to Lakurawa, a radical group linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, while others alleged it was Ansaru, a splinter group allied with al-Qaeda.
A third group, Mahmuda, reportedly clashed with the attackers and enabled some captives to escape. Although jihadi attacks have diminished since Boko Haram's peak, security forces continue to struggle with numerous threats, including non-ideological gangs known as bandits.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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