Four Niger State Mosques Attacked: 30 Worshippers k!lled, Others Abducted

Tragedy struck in Niger State on Friday as armed terr*rists launched coordinated attacks on four mosques within the Borgu Local Government Area, resulting in the k!lling of at least 30 individuals. The assaults occurred simultaneously during Juma’at prayers in the communities of Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida, and Gidan-Zana, with dozens of worshippers reportedly abducted.

According to accounts, the assailants gathered the worshippers and forcibly marched them into a nearby forest. Speaking to Daily Trust on Monday, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, the Chairman of Borgu LGA, confirmed the grim development, stating that approximately 30 of those kidn*pped had been executed by their captors. He further mentioned that residents had since recovered and buried the bodies of the victims.

Chairman Abdullahi provided an update on the situation, remarking, “The military has gone in there. The whole place is calm. We lost some people, and the burials were done. Some people ran away to safer grounds.” He added, “From the records I have, those kidn*pped were a little above 60. Those that were k!lled were close to 30.”

In addition to the k!llings and abductions, the attackers also set several houses ablaze, including the residence of Abubakar Umar, the District Head of Dekara. The chairman reiterated that the victims were seized from the four affected communities while observing their Friday Juma’at prayers.

Following the brutal attacks, many residents have sought refuge in New Bussa and even crossed into the Benin Republic, as the terr*rists reportedly issued threats to k!ll anyone remaining in the targeted areas. A resident, who spoke to the publication, lamented, “Only a few people are in Dekara now. Many people have left.”

In response to the incidents, police authorities confirmed the initiation of a joint security operation. The objective of this operation is to track down the perpetrators and secure the release of the abducted worshippers. Meanwhile, a community member from Borgu LGA appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts against the terr*rists, suggesting they emulate the strategy used during the rescue of the Oriire abductees to ensure the safe return of all those currently held captive.