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30 Dead, Scores Abducted in Coordinated Mosque Attacks in Niger State

Published

2 months ago

August 25, 2026

30 Dead, Scores Abducted in Coordinated Mosque Attacks in Niger State

A wave of coordinated terrorist attacks on four mosques in Niger State has left at least 30 people dead and more than 60 others abducted, in one of the deadliest assaults on religious worshippers in the region this year. The attacks, which took place on Friday, 21 August 2026, targeted communities in Borgu Local Government Area during the weekly Juma’at prayers, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes and sparking a major security response.

The simultaneous strikes occurred in the communities of Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida, and Gidan-Zana, also known locally as Gbezhin. Armed assailants surrounded the mosques as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, rounding up men, young boys, and elderly villagers before marching them into nearby forests. According to local officials, many of the victims were killed while being forced through the dense bush, their bodies recovered by community members and buried over the weekend.

Confirming the death toll, the Chairman of Borgu Local Government Area, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, told Daily Trust on Monday that nearly half of those abducted had been killed by their captors. “From the records I have, those kidnapped were a little above 60. Those that were killed were close to 30,” he said. He also confirmed that properties, including the residence of the District Head of Dekara, Abubakar Umar, were set on fire during the attacks. The chairman added that the military had moved into the area and that calm had been restored, though he acknowledged that many residents had already fled to safer locations.

However, there are significant discrepancies in the number of people taken captive. While official figures put the number of abducted worshippers at just over 60, residents have told reporters that more than 60 people were taken from the Dekara central mosque alone, and at least 100 people from Gbezhin remained unaccounted for as of Sunday. A terrorist group has reportedly released a video claiming to hold about 500 hostages, including women and children, and urging relatives to identify their loved ones among those being held. Among those believed to be in captivity are the 90‑year‑old village head of Ka’ada, who had only recently been freed from a previous kidnapping, and the chief imam of the mosque.

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In the aftermath of the attacks, fear has gripped the affected communities. Dozens of families have fled to the nearby town of New Bussa and some have crossed the border into the neighbouring Republic of Benin, following threats from the attackers that anyone remaining in the villages would be killed. A resident told Daily Trust that only a handful of people are still in Dekara, with most having abandoned their homes and livelihoods.

Security forces have launched a joint operation to track down the attackers and rescue those still in captivity. The police have confirmed that a coordinated effort involving the military and other security agencies is underway. However, rescue and security operations are facing serious obstacles. The rugged terrain and poor road networks in the area are hindering the movement of personnel, and residents have warned that improvised explosive devices have been planted along routes that security operatives would normally use. This comes just over a month after an army captain and two soldiers were killed by an IED explosion in the same local government area in July 2026.

Some residents have called on security agencies to adopt the same approach used in the recent rescue of more than 40 students and teachers in Oriire, who were freed after 56 days in captivity following a month‑long intelligence‑driven operation. That operation, according to Army spokesman Jonah Danjuma of the 2 Division in Ibadan, focused on identifying the masterminds behind the abduction and dismantling their network and hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park. Several arrests were reportedly made in Oyo State and other parts of the country, disrupting the group’s activities.

The attacks in Borgu are not an isolated incident. Residents have told reporters that seven out of the ten wards in the local government area are currently affected by insecurity, with hundreds of people, mostly farmers, displaced and dozens killed. The affected wards include Babanna, Kabe/Pissa, Konkoso, Shagunu, Dugga, Wawa and Malale. Since December 2025, more than a dozen villages in Anindita District and Babanna Area Development Council have been attacked and destroyed by terrorists, forcing entire communities to flee. One resident asked: “Contrary to the claim that normalcy has returned, our people cannot go to farms in Anindita, Babanna and Gada‑Oli axes. Schools are shut. Over 300,000 people are displaced. If normalcy exists, why are villages still empty and why is humanitarian aid yet to reach most IDPs?” The communities have called for military operations to clear terrorist enclaves within the Babanna Area Development Council, which they say are being used as staging grounds for attacks, as well as support for local vigilantes and humanitarian assistance for displaced farmers.

This latest violence follows a series of attacks in the region over the past year. In November 2025, terrorists kidnapped an unspecified number of travellers along the Wawa‑Lumma Road, intercepting two passenger vehicles and abducting all their occupants. In December 2025, a security outpost at Ibrahim Leteh village was destroyed and patrol vehicles vandalised. In January 2026, a police border patrol outpost at New Kalli village was attacked and burnt, just two days after dozens of traders and farmers were reportedly killed at Kasuwan Daji. More recently, on 18 June 2026, at least ten farmers, including traditional rulers, were killed in an attack on the Old Gangale community.

The international community has also responded. Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to urgently secure the release of the abducted worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions across the country’s north. The organisation described the incident as particularly alarming because the victims were targeted while observing Friday prayers, and called on the government to address the broader wave of mass abductions targeting rural communities. Amnesty noted that at least 1,100 people were abducted between January and April 2026, and that available figures may significantly underestimate the actual scale of the problem. Victims of previous mass abductions, the organisation warned, had reported severe abuses including torture, starvation, sexual violence and amputation.

The Kpenya attack occurred barely a week after gunmen killed at least 32 people during Friday prayers at a mosque in the Ungushi community in Sokoto State, including the mosque’s imam. These incidents add to a worrying pattern of violence around the Borgu‑Kainji corridor, an area where authorities and security analysts have long raised concerns about armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park.

30 Dead, Scores Abducted in Coordinated Mosque Attacks in Niger State

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Fresh Kidnap at Cocoa Institute: Gunmen Seize Three Workers in Oyo

Published

18 minutes ago

October 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Fresh Kidnap at Cocoa Institute: Gunmen Seize Three Workers in Oyo

Gunmen have reportedly abducted three workers of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan, Oyo State, triggering another security operation as police intensify efforts to rescue the victims and arrest those responsible.

The incident occurred on Friday, October 9, 2026, while the workers were inspecting crops on a farm within the institute’s premises, according to the Oyo State Police Command.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, confirmed the abduction, saying the command had launched a manhunt for the suspected kidnappers and was working to secure the victims’ safe release.

Police operatives are reportedly pursuing leads to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. The command has also urged members of the public with credible information that could assist the investigation or rescue operation to contact the authorities.

The latest attack has heightened concerns about the safety of staff members at the federal agricultural research institution, following previous reports of abductions involving people connected to the institute and its surrounding communities.

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In March 2026, gunmen reportedly abducted four cocoa farmers in the area around the institute, prompting security operations. Subsequent reports indicated that the victims were eventually freed following efforts by security personnel.

In another incident in May, two CRIN staff members were reportedly abducted after armed men invaded the institute’s premises. Police later announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with that case.

The latest incident has renewed calls for stronger security around the institute and neighbouring farming communities, where workers may need to conduct field inspections away from the main administrative facilities.

The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, a federal institution involved in research on cocoa and other industrial crops, plays an important role in agricultural development and the improvement of farming practices.

The abduction has raised fresh questions about the protection of agricultural researchers and field workers, particularly those whose duties require them to work on farms and other locations vulnerable to criminal attacks.

As of Friday, police reports identified three victims in the latest incident. The rescue operation and search for the suspected kidnappers were ongoing, with no further details about the victims’ identities or the circumstances of their possible release immediately confirmed.

Fresh Kidnap at Cocoa Institute: Gunmen Seize Three Workers in Oyo

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Anambra Tragedy: Mother, Teenage Daughter Crushed as Three-Storey Building Collapses

Published

40 minutes ago

October 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Anambra Tragedy: Mother, Teenage Daughter Crushed as Three-Storey Building Collapses

A mother and her 14-year-old daughter have died after a three-storey building under construction collapsed onto their residence in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, amid allegations that warnings about the structure’s safety were ignored.

The victims were identified as Mrs Happiness Ugoagu and her daughter, Confidence, who were reportedly asleep in their home when the neighbouring building came crashing down at Anata Anaba, Okpoko.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night, October 7, according to eyewitness accounts, although an initial report by the state government described it as a Thursday morning incident.

The collapse trapped the mother and daughter beneath the debris, while other people caught in the rubble were reportedly rescued and taken to hospital.

The victims’ son, Chimobi Ugoagu, said he was outside the house when the building collapsed, while his mother and sister were inside. He alleged that residents had repeatedly warned the builder about the potential danger posed by the structure, but their concerns were not heeded.

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Residents also claimed that the building stood on waterlogged land and that an engineer had initially advised limiting the structure to two storeys because of the ground conditions. They alleged that construction continued to three storeys despite the reported warning.

Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, visited the scene and described the incident as unfortunate. He said the building was illegal and that authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice.

Ojukwu also blamed the collapse on the alleged use of substandard construction materials and ordered the demolition of the structure. He said the government was investigating other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.

Emergency responders, residents and local government officials took part in rescue and recovery operations. The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency deployed an excavator to assist with clearing the debris, while the National Emergency Management Agency dispatched a team to support the response.

The remains of the mother and daughter were subsequently recovered and evacuated to a morgue.

Ogbaru Local Government Chairman Nnamdi Ifejika expressed condolences to the bereaved family, describing the deaths as a devastating loss. He also called for greater attention to building safety and urged residents to report structures they believe could endanger lives.

The exact technical cause of the collapse had not been independently established in the available reports. The circumstances surrounding the construction, the reported stop-work notice and the allegations that safety warnings were ignored remain issues for the relevant authorities to investigate.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about building safety, compliance with planning regulations and enforcement of construction standards in Nigeria, particularly where buildings are erected on potentially unstable or waterlogged ground.

Anambra Tragedy: Mother, Teenage Daughter Crushed as Three-Storey Building Collapses

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MURIC Urges FG to Suspend NYSC Scheme, Discharge 20 Freed Corps Members

Published

7 hours ago

October 9, 2026

Trends Admin

MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Urges FG to Suspend NYSC Scheme, Discharge 20 Freed Corps Members

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme until the country’s worsening insecurity is brought under control.

The Islamic human rights organisation also demanded the immediate discharge of 20 corps members recently released after spending a week in the custody of kidnappers in Imo State.

MURIC urged the government to issue the affected corps members their NYSC discharge certificates and pay them the allowances they would have received throughout the 2026/2027 service year as compensation for their ordeal.

The group’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the demands in a press release issued on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Akintola said the abduction of the corps members had highlighted the security challenges facing participants in the national service scheme, arguing that young Nigerians should not be exposed to such risks while fulfilling their national obligations.

MURIC welcomed the release of the 20 corps members and expressed gratitude for their safe return, while congratulating their parents and families.

The organisation, however, said the traumatic experience of the freed corps members and others who had suffered similar ordeals warranted a review of the scheme’s operation amid persistent insecurity.

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According to Akintola, insecurity has become the scheme’s greatest challenge, placing the Federal Government under an obligation to protect young Nigerians participating in national service.

He argued that the government had a responsibility, in its capacity as a guardian, to ensure the safety of corps members deployed to different parts of the country.

“However, in view of the apparent inability to do this, at least presently, we demand the suspension of the NYSC scheme until FG is able to take full control of the security situation in the country,” he said.

The group also insisted that the 20 freed corps members should not be required to continue their service after their reported week-long ordeal in captivity.

MURIC proposed that the affected individuals be formally discharged and compensated with the allowances they would otherwise have earned during the entire 2026/2027 service year.

The organisation said its demands were aimed at protecting young Nigerians from further exposure to kidnapping and other security threats associated with national service.

The call comes amid renewed concerns over the safety of corps members travelling to their places of deployment, particularly in areas affected by kidnapping and other security challenges.

The NYSC scheme, established in 1973, requires eligible Nigerian graduates to undertake a year of national service, including deployment to states other than their places of origin in many cases.

MURIC’s proposal would require a major policy decision by the Federal Government and the relevant authorities responsible for administering the scheme.

The government had yet to respond to the demands contained in the statement at the time of this report.