Niger State Awaits Abductors' Contact Six Days After Worshippers' Kidn*p

Almost a week after a terror attack saw worshippers abducted during Friday prayers in Niger State, the state government has confirmed it has received no communication from the perpetrators. Furthermore, authorities are still struggling to ascertain the precise number of individuals taken captive.

Obed Nuhu, the state's Commissioner for Information, disclosed this information on Thursday. He stated that the attacks, which occurred on August 21st, targeted three distinct locations within the Borgu Local Government Area. Suspicions point towards the involvement of elements identified as Lakurawa and Boko Haram.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Nuhu reiterated the government's position: “No such (contact with the kidn*ppers) has happened. We have not had any interactions with them but the suspicion is the Lakurawas as they call themselves and the Boko Haram. It happened in three different locations around that kingdom.”

The Commissioner also cautioned against relying on unverified figures regarding the victims, stating that the government is still compiling accurate data and would refrain from speculation until verified details are obtained.

This development comes nearly seven days after suspected terr*rists stormed communities in Borgu, specifically targeting congregants at the Kpenya Mosque in Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village, during Juma’at prayers. The PUNCH newspaper reported that the assailants attacked the mosque around 2 pm on August 21st, seizing worshippers including children, women, and the elderly. Among those reportedly abducted were the village head of Ka’ada, who had recently been released from captivity by attackers, and the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara.

Initially, the Niger State Police Command confirmed an unspecified number of abductions, noting that some residents managed to escape into a nearby forest. At the time, the police also indicated no fatalities from the mosque attack and stated that a joint security detachment had been deployed for assessment and rescue operations. However, subsequent reports revealed that the violence extended beyond the mosque, impacting several communities in the Dekara area.

According to a Thursday report by The PUNCH, both the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Northern Senators Forum confirmed attacks in Gbeji (also known as Gidan-Zana), Kpenya, Giyan Gbasu, and Dekara communities. These reports detailed residents being killed, injured, or abducted. The NSCIA expressed particular alarm over the Dekara attack, where terr*rists reportedly invaded a central mosque during Jumu’at prayers, kidn*pping over 60 worshippers.

Following these incidents, President Bola Tinubu directed a coordinated rescue operation involving the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and other security agencies. The Presidency, as reported by The PUNCH, stated that more than 40 people were killed across the affected communities, with over 100 others abducted and moved into nearby forests. However, these figures have not been independently confirmed by the Niger State Government, which maintains that the number of abductees is still under verification.

Despite the lack of contact from the abductors, security agencies have intensified their efforts to locate and free the victims. Channels Television reported on Thursday that Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has deployed Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Victor Olaiya, who is in charge of Zone 7, to coordinate the rescue operation alongside other security agencies.

Earlier, Niger State Governor Umaru Bago had instructed security agencies to prioritize the safe recovery of the victims and work towards restoring peace to the affected areas. The state government confirmed the mobilization of a joint security operation to assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue. Details of the deployment were withheld due to the sensitive nature of the operation.

The Northern Senators Forum has also called for the immediate and safe release of the victims, advocating for increased security deployment and a review of the security architecture in Niger State and the entire North-Central region, as reported by PUNCH. The forum described the mosque abduction as particularly distressing, while the NSCIA urged urgent action in response to the attacks. For the victims' families, the agonizing uncertainty persists, with no contact from the abductors and no definitive count of those still held captive by authorities.