Gunmen abduct worshippers from Nigeria mosque, police say

Several worshippers were abducted from a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State during Friday prayers, according to police on Saturday. The attack occurred at the Kpenya Mosque in the Dekara district of the Borgu local government area around 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday, after the gunmen first attacked two villages, Gidan-Zana and Kpenya.

Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun stated that no lives were lost in the incident, and a joint security detachment has been deployed to the area to carry out rescue operations. However, Abiodun could not confirm the exact number of victims, as police have not yet received an official count.

Local residents informed Reuters that over 60 worshippers were kidnapped during the coordinated attack, which took place simultaneously in Dekara and three other communities within Borgu. The residents were observing Friday prayers at the time of the incident, making it difficult for Reuters to independently verify the account. Mass kidnappings for ransom have become a regular occurrence in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where violent criminal gangs known as bandits frequently raid villages, schools, and highways.