Dozens of people abducted in attacks on villages in Nigeria

Dozens of people have been abducted in recent attacks on villages in Nigeria’s central Niger State, according to police and local residents. The assailants, believed to be wearing military-style attire, targeted communities in the Borgu Local Government Area after Friday prayers. Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun reported that over 40 individuals were killed in the attacks on Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida, and Masaka villages.

He added that authorities suspect the perpetrators to be bandits, criminal gangs involved in kidnapping and ransom-seeking activities throughout Nigeria. These incidents are separate from a previous series of abductions in the same region, where 145 people were rescued from four villages earlier this month. This rescue operation was part of a larger security effort that has recovered a total of 308 people, including more than 160 from neighboring Kwara State.

The ongoing attacks underscore the persistent security challenges faced in Niger State and north central Nigeria, where armed groups exploit remote forests and a weak security presence to conduct raids and kidnappings. The Borgu region is known to be linked to the activities of jihadist groups operating in north-western Nigeria and the border area.

Recent months have seen jihadist fighters enter communities and impose religious restrictions. Local officials fear that some of the gunmen might be attempting to recruit young individuals. The security situation in Borgu has remained particularly dire, with more than 20 people killed there last week, as reported by local authorities.

In November 2025, over 200 pupils were abducted from a school in Papiri, Niger State, but were released about a month later after repeated military and police operations. Despite these efforts, large parts of Niger State remain challenging for security forces to access, enabling armed groups to operate from forested areas and carry out attacks on isolated communities.