Nigeria launches hunt for 600 kidnapped mosque worshippers in Niger State
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Nigeria's military and security services launched a coordinated rescue operation on Wednesday for an estimated 600 worshippers kidnapped from mosques in Niger State. President Bola Tinubu ordered the mission after the mass abduction near Dekera village last week. The operation begins as mass kidnappings for ransom rise in northern Nigeria ahead of January's presidential election.
Key Facts
- President Bola Tinubu ordered the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and other agencies to launch a coordinated rescue operation for the abducted worshippers.
- An estimated 600 worshippers were abducted from an area around Dekera village in north-central Niger State last week.
- An official from the district where Friday's attacks occurred told Reuters that 30 people were killed and buried on Sunday.
- At least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin after the attacks, according to Abubakar Umar, head of the Dekera community.
- Kidnappers released a video on Sunday showing a large group of captives in a forested area, with children crying and a gunman speaking in Hausa.
Rescue Operation
President Bola Tinubu directed the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and all relevant security and intelligence agencies to launch a coordinated rescue operation immediately. The military and other security services began the operation on Wednesday after Tinubu's order late on Tuesday. The operation targets an estimated 600 worshippers abducted from an area around Dekera village in north-central Niger State last week. Tinubu addressed the families of those killed and kidnapped, stating, "You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you."
Abduction and Aftermath
Mass kidnappings for ransom have been on the rise in northern Nigeria since the start of the year. On Sunday, kidnappers released a video of what appears to be a large group of people being held captive by armed men in a forested area. In the footage posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, children can be heard crying and a gunman speaks in Hausa directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify their relatives. An official from the district where Friday's attacks happened told Reuters that 30 people were killed and were buried on Sunday. Abubakar Umar, head of the Dekera community, told Reuters that at least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin after the attacks.
Security Context
The issue has become politically sensitive before a presidential election in January, with security likely to be a major campaign issue. Amnesty International urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria. In its first public statement on the incident, the Nigerian presidency condemned the "cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians" and pledged that those responsible would be brought to justice. Northwest Nigeria has long been a transit zone for arms and gunmen crossing through West Africa, and alongside neighbouring Niger, Chad and Benin, the area is increasingly the site of Boko Haram and ISIL (ISIS) attacks.
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Nigeria launches hunt for 600 kidnapped mosque worshippers in Niger State
