President Bola Tinubu has ordered a coordinated security operation to rescue worshippers abducted during Friday prayers in Niger State, as the latest mass kidnapping raises fresh concerns over the worsening security situation in communities around Borgu and the Kainji Lake axis.
The directive followed the August 21 attack on worshippers in Kpenya Mosque, Dekara District, in Borgu Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly invaded several communities before taking residents into nearby forests.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the attack but initially said it could not establish the exact number of persons abducted. Local sources, however, reported that more than 60 worshippers were taken away, while subsequent accounts put the number considerably higher. The state government has also said efforts were ongoing to verify the number of victims. (AIT LIVE)
The development took a more disturbing turn after a video circulated showing a large group of women, children and elderly persons allegedly being held by armed men in a forest. Reuters reported that residents estimated the number of captives shown in the footage at about 600, although the news agency said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the video or the exact number of people involved. (Reuters)
Against this backdrop, Tinubu directed the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other relevant security and intelligence agencies to immediately commence a coordinated operation aimed at locating and rescuing the abductees.
The President also condemned the attack, describing the perpetrators as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” and warning that they would not escape justice.
“Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free,” Tinubu said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.
He expressed condolences to families of those reportedly killed in the attack and assured relatives of the abducted persons that the Federal Government remained committed to securing their safe return.
“You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you,” the President said.
The latest incident is particularly significant because it occurred during Friday congregational prayers, when worshippers had gathered at a mosque, and involved several communities in the Dekara area. Reports indicate that among those abducted were community leaders and elderly residents, including the 90-year-old father of the Dekara District Head. (Tribune Online)
The attack also comes only weeks after security agencies announced the rescue of 308 abducted Nigerians from Niger and Kwara states. Of the victims, 145 were abducted in Niger State and 163 from Woro community in Kwara State, with the victims rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in a joint intelligence-led operation. (State House Nigeria)
At the time, Tinubu directed security agencies to strengthen early-warning systems, community-level intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities to prevent similar attacks.
The recurrence of abductions around Borgu and the wider Kainji Lake area nevertheless suggests that criminal groups continue to exploit difficult terrain and vulnerable rural communities despite recent security operations. Earlier attacks in the area have also resulted in deaths, abductions and displacement of residents. (The Online Guru)
The latest presidential directive therefore places renewed emphasis on the ability of security agencies to translate intelligence and military deployments into rapid intervention, particularly in communities vulnerable to coordinated raids.
