Aug 22, 2026

Gunmen Abduct Dozens of Muslim Worshippers After Friday Prayers in Niger State

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Minna / Borgu, Niger State – August 22, 2026 — Armed gunmen on Friday invaded several communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and abducted an unspecified number of Muslim worshippers shortly after the weekly Juma’at prayers, heightening fears in an already volatile border region.

The attack began at the central mosque in Dekara community. According to security sources and local accounts, the assailants surrounded the mosque as worshippers concluded prayers and forced many of them into nearby forests toward the Kainji Lake area.

The gunmen then moved into neighbouring settlements including Gidan Zana, Masaka and Sabon Gida, where they carried out further abductions.

Among those reportedly taken is the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara. Local residents also named the chief imam of the central mosque and the village head of Ka’ada among the victims.

Youths and heads of households formed a significant portion of those abducted.

Some worshippers managed to escape, though a number sustained machete wounds in the process.

The lawmaker representing the area, Jafar Muhammad Shetiman, confirmed the incident and said the exact number of victims had not yet been established.

He linked the attacks to suspected members of the Lakurawa and Mamudawa groups who use the surrounding forests as hideouts.

Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the abductions. He stated that no deaths had been recorded and that security personnel had been mobilized for a rescue operation.

However, he noted that difficult terrain, poor road conditions, and a collapsed bridge linking the affected communities to the local government headquarters were slowing the response.

Borgu Local Government Area, which borders Kebbi and Kwara states as well as the Republic of Benin, has experienced repeated attacks and mass abductions in recent months.

Residents have expressed growing anxiety over the vulnerability of remote communities and the limited security presence in the area.

Security agencies say efforts to locate the victims and apprehend the perpetrators are ongoing.

As of Saturday morning, no further official updates on the number of those still in captivity or any successful rescues had been released.

The latest incident underscores the persistent challenge of banditry and mass kidnappings in parts of north-central Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target places of worship and rural settlements with relative ease.