Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered the military and security agencies to launch an immediate rescue operation after gunmen abducted an estimated 600 people from a mosque in north-central Niger State. An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing large numbers of women, children and elderly people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men, with children audibly crying in the background. Residents who watched the footage said they were able to identify relatives and community members among those held captive.
The attack took place during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekara village, with simultaneous raids carried out on the surrounding communities of Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka in the Borgu district — a region that borders Kebbi and Kwara states as well as neighbouring Benin. Authorities said more than 30 to 40 people were killed during the assault, with victims buried on Sunday. A local official said attackers also planted improvised explosive devices as they led captives into the forest; a teenage boy was killed when one detonated as he attempted to escape. At least 2,000 people are reported to have fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the violence.
In the video, a gunman speaking in Hausa urged families to identify their relatives among the captives. Residents confirmed they recognised people from their communities. "I've identified 13 people that I know," said one resident, Ibrahim Abubakar. A local youth leader told reporters he spotted an elderly man widely regarded as a community elder. Families who identified relatives in the footage said they felt some relief at knowing their loved ones were alive, even as others remained with no news of missing relatives.
If the figure of around 600 abductees is confirmed, it would rank among the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria's recent history. Mass abductions for ransom have become a defining feature of insecurity across north-western and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs raid villages, schools and highways, holding captives for weeks or months while demanding large sums. Local officials have also raised concerns about the growing presence of jihadist groups in the region, with reports of fighters imposing religious restrictions on some communities.
President Tinubu condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would face justice. "Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," his office said in a statement. He directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on the rescue effort. The incident follows a separate operation earlier this month in which 145 people were rescued after being abducted from four other villages in the same area, underscoring the persistent and escalating nature of the crisis across Nigeria's north.