Bandits storm Niger communities, kidnap many villagers
Scores of Muslim worshippers were kidnapped shortly after Friday prayers when suspected bandits attacked multiple communities in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Federal lawmaker Jafar Muhammad Shetiman Borgu confirmed that the incidents took place in the Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida, and Masaka communities. He noted that the exact number of abducted individuals has not yet been determined.
Borgu stated that the attackers used machetes during the assaults, leaving several worshippers injured. “Some people managed to escape, while others sustained machete wounds,” he said.
Witnesses reported that the gunmen stormed Dekara following Friday prayers, encircled a mosque, and forcibly took worshippers into nearby forests. The attackers then moved into adjacent communities, abducting more individuals as they concluded their prayers.
According to Borgu, the captives included both youth and heads of households.
These assaults have intensified concerns regarding the security situation in Borgu, which shares borders with Kebbi and Kwara states, as well as the Republic of Benin.
