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.

Flood Submerges Homes, Destroys Property Worth Millions in Akwa Ibom Communities

Hundreds of residents of Eket Local Government Area have been left stranded and counting losses after torrential rainfall triggered severe flooding, submerging homes, destroying property worth millions of naira, collapsing buildings, and forcing families to flee for safety, with many worshippers also prevented from attending Sunday services.

AKWA IBOM, Nigeria – A devastating flood has ravaged Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, submerging homes, destroying property worth millions of naira, and leaving hundreds of residents stranded following three days of torrential rainfall. The heavy downpour, which began on Saturday night and continued into Sunday, overwhelmed drainage systems across the oil-producing city, turning residential areas into virtual rivers and forcing many families to flee for safety. The Southern Examiner newspaper reported that the flooding destroyed properties worth hundreds of millions of naira, swept away vehicles, collapsed houses, and rendered thousands of residents homeless. Several roads and streets were cut off, while residents of affected communities were forced to seek refuge in safer locations as floodwaters overwhelmed homes, business premises and other facilities. Along Afaha-Eket Road, residents were still busy bailing out water from their houses and trying to rescue badly soaked clothing on Sunday morning.

Mrs Elizabeth Akpan, a housewife residing on Mkpok Lane, expressed distress after floodwater submerged her home and destroyed her belongings. The disaster occurred after rainfall lasting more than four hours from Saturday night into Sunday, destroying her electronics, kitchen utensils and other household items. “Flood has destroyed my property worth millions of naira due to the heavy downpour that started yesterday and today,” she cried. Akpan appealed to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently come to her rescue. “Flood has taken over my entire building. I need help from the relevant emergency agencies before the situation becomes worse,” she said. Another resident, Mrs Mfonobong Bassey of Edem Udoh Street, said floodwater soaked her beddings and destroyed electronics in her sitting room. “My children and I have been scooping water from our rooms, kitchen, toilet and bathroom since 4 a.m. Flood has submerged my house and soaked the sitting room. God, come and save me and my children from this calamity,” she cried.

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The flooding has caused widespread destruction, with reports confirming that some buildings collapsed during the disaster. Unlike the flood disasters of May 2025, communities completely ravaged by this latest menace include Afaha-Eket, Uqua, Ikot Udoma, Idua, and Afaha Uqua. Mr Paul Idongesit, a resident of Idua Road, said the flood collapsed his building and destroyed his late wife’s grave. The Southern Examiner also reported that a 70-year-old widow, Mary Monday Peter, narrowly escaped death when floodwaters overwhelmed her home in Ikot Usoekong, Eket LGA—she fled the building just before it gave way, leaving her homeless and without any opportunity to salvage her belongings. Several roads and streets were cut off, while residents of some affected communities were forced to seek refuge in safer locations as floodwaters overwhelmed homes, business premises and other facilities. The two-day downpour also prevented hundreds of worshippers from attending their church services on Sunday.

Areas affected include Ediam Road, Edohoeket Street, Idua Road, Afaha Eket Road, All Weather Road, Ikot Udoma, Mkpok Lane, and Eket-Oron Road. Other communities severely affected include Uqua and Afaha Uqua. The flooding submerged roads, destroyed farmlands, and left several families displaced. Mr Promise Friday, a businessman, said floodwater destroyed more than 80 bags of POP materials and cement purchased for his building project, along with other belongings in his apartment, leaving him with significant financial losses. The flooding also reportedly swept away vehicles and destroyed household items and other property worth millions of naira across the neighbourhood.

Affected residents have appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government, NEMA, SEMA, and other relevant authorities to intervene urgently. Mr Paul Idongesit urged the state government to construct larger drainage channels and culverts to reduce flooding and its impacts, while also appealing to the World Bank and other development partners for assistance. The Ekid Development Forum (EDF) attributed the severity of the flooding partly to poor waste management, indiscriminate refuse disposal, defective drainage systems, poor execution of some road projects, and alleged government negligence in environmental management. EDF Vice-President, Mkpisong Francis Odoro, identified indiscriminate waste disposal, poor workmanship by some road contractors, and inadequate government intervention as major factors contributing to the recurring flooding in Eket. “There is no tangible comprehensive waste disposal system in Eket Local Government. Residents dispose of waste randomly and carelessly because no government policy and legislation effectively controls waste management,” Odoro said. He also criticised what he described as poor workmanship by some indigenous contractors executing road projects in the area.

The Chairman of Eket Local Government Area, Mr Akaninyene Tommy, accompanied by officials of NEMA, inspected the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage. Tommy described the flooding as devastating and heartbreaking. “The flood is deeply distressing. Homes have been ravaged, properties damaged, and families left to bear the painful consequences,” Tommy said. He said the council visited affected areas to see the situation firsthand, listen to residents, and assess the extent of the damage. “What we witnessed was heartbreaking, and we recognise the urgency of the situation,” the chairman said. Tommy said the council was engaging NEMA and SEMA, while detailed assessments of affected areas were being compiled for submission to relevant authorities to facilitate timely intervention and support for affected families. He assured affected residents of government palliatives to cushion the immediate impact of the disaster. “We will continue to stand firmly with our people and do everything within our capacity to ensure no affected family is left behind,” Tommy said. He also appreciated individuals who had offered support, comfort and solidarity to residents affected by the flooding, adding that every gesture of kindness and solidarity matters and none will go unnoticed.

The flooding in Eket comes after the Federal Ministry of Environment placed Eket, Uyo and Oron among communities on critical flood alert between August 2 and August 15, 2026. The government had warned that 944 communities across 21 states could experience severe flooding triggered by a combination of persistent rainfall, rising river levels, saturated soils, rapid surface runoff and overwhelmed drainage systems. Eket recorded a flood-risk score of 90 to 100 out of 100 in the assessment, placing it in the critical risk category.