Tinubu orders military rescue following mass abduction in Niger State
About 600 women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in Nigeria.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has directed the military and other security agencies to launch an urgent rescue mission after an armed group abducted about 600 people, including women, children, and older individuals, from a mosque in Niger State last week. Reuters could not independently verify the exact number of victims, but if confirmed, this would be among the largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history.
The incident, which occurred in the remote border regions of Niger State, highlights the government's struggles to protect vulnerable areas from various armed groups operating in the country. The gunmen responsible for the attack killed 30 people and buried them on Sunday, according to an official from the affected Borgu district.
The victims were predominantly from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana, and Sabon Gida. In response to the attack, the presidency condemned it as cowardly and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, promising regular updates on the rescue efforts. The traditional leader of Dakera community, Abubakar Umar, reported that at least 2,000 residents fled into Benin Republic following the attack.
The incident took place in broad daylight, revealing the ineffective security operations in the region. Experts believe that the gunmen who released the video on social media will soon demand a ransom. Mass abductions for ransom have become increasingly common in northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools, and highways, holding captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
