600 Women, Children, Elderly Abducted in Niger Mosque Attack

Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago

600 Women, Children, Elderly Abducted in Niger Mosque Attack

An armed group has released a harrowing video showing what residents say are about 600 women, children, and elderly people abducted during a coordinated attack on a mosque in Niger State, north-central Nigeria, as authorities struggle to verify the scale of the mass kidnapping.

NIGER STATE, Nigeria – An armed group has released a harrowing video showing what residents say are approximately 600 women, children, and elderly people abducted in a brazen attack on worshippers at a mosque in Dekara village, Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State. The footage, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp on Sunday, shows large groups of people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men, with the cries of children audible in the background. The attack occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026, when suspected terrorists stormed the Kpenya Mosque during Juma’at (Friday) prayers at about 2 p.m. Residents reported that the attackers carried out simultaneous raids on several communities in the Borgu area, including Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida, and Gidan-Zana, taking worshippers from multiple mosques. Among those abducted were the village head of Ka’ada, who had only recently been released from a previous kidnapping, and the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara.

In the video, a gunman speaking in Hausa addressed the families of the captives, urging them to identify their relatives among those shown. “These are all your people. We are showing you this video so that you can identify your family members, your fathers, mothers, children and relatives,” the gunman said. Resident Jamilu Ibrahim appealed to federal and state authorities to secure the release of the captives, highlighting the presence of mothers with infants and children among those shown in the footage. Another resident, Ismaila Yahaya, confirmed that among those kidnapped was the village head of Ka’ada, who had been released from a recent kidnapping, and that all those attending the central mosque in Dekara were taken away.

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Authorities have struggled to verify the exact number of abductees. The Niger State Government, through Information Commissioner Mr. Obed Nuhu Nana, acknowledged that the number of persons abducted and other details are still being verified. The government urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports that could heighten anxiety or compromise ongoing security efforts. Police had earlier confirmed an attack on worshippers in the area but said they could not verify the number of people abducted. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said the attackers stormed the Kpenya Mosque at about 2 p.m. on Friday after previously attacking Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages. He noted that joint security forces had been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.

Initial reports gave substantially lower estimates: some local residents told Reuters that more than 60 worshippers were kidnapped, while the Borgu area council chairman put the figure at at least 60, and another local leader told the Associated Press that about 80 people had been abducted from affected communities. However, a resident of Dekara told Daily Trust that in Gbezhin, one of the communities in Dekara District, no fewer than 100 people were still missing as of Sunday. The terrorists themselves have claimed, in the video, that about 600 people are in their custody.

Mass kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common in parts of north-western and north-central Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently target villages, schools and highways. This incident is among the largest mass abductions in recent months and has raised alarm about the deteriorating security situation in Niger State, which has increasingly become a hotspot for banditry and terrorist activities. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has condemned the attack and directed security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted victims.

The attack also comes amid heightened security alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, which had warned of possible attacks in several northern states including Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara. The embassy had advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to these areas, citing increased risk of kidnappings and terrorist activities.