MINNA — More than 100 people have reportedly been abducted in a fresh wave of attacks on communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, further deepening fears over the worsening security crisis in the state.
The attackers reportedly stormed several communities, including Kpenya, Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka, where they allegedly killed more than 40 people and marched over 100 residents into nearby forests.
The attack reportedly occurred on August 21, 2026, with suspected terrorists invading the Kpenya Mosque during Friday prayers before extending the assault to neighbouring communities. Among those reportedly abducted were worshippers, including community leaders.
The scale of the abduction has generated renewed alarm over the ability of armed groups to operate across remote communities in Niger State. Reports indicate that the victims were taken into surrounding forests, leaving families desperate for information about their relatives.
President Bola Tinubu has reportedly directed the military, police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to coordinate efforts to rescue the victims and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
The latest incident adds to a disturbing pattern of mass abductions across northern Nigeria. Amnesty International reported earlier this year that at least 1,100 people were abducted in northern Nigeria between January and April 2026, including 57 people taken in Niger State’s Borgu LGA in January.
For residents of Niger State, the repeated attacks raise urgent questions about the protection of rural communities and the security of citizens who have increasingly become vulnerable to large-scale raids and kidnappings.
The immediate priority, however, remains the safe recovery of the more than 100 people reportedly held captive—and accountability for those behind the deadly assault.
