Bandits Strike Mosque in Niger State Amid Rising Kidnappings

Armed men abducted over 60 worshippers from the Kpenya Mosque in Nigeria's north-central Niger State during Friday prayers. The attack is the latest in a series of mass kidnappings by violent gangs. Police have deployed security detachments to aid in assessment and rescue operations.

In a disturbing incident marking the escalation of mass kidnappings in parts of Nigeria, armed men abducted over 60 worshippers from a mosque in Niger State during Friday prayers, confirmed local authorities on Saturday. Known for harboring violent criminal gangs, the region has witnessed a surge of such incidents recently.

Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun detailed that the attackers besieged the Kpenya Mosque in Dekara district within Borgu's local government area around 2 p.m. Friday. The attack followed assaults on Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages. Authorities emphasize a joint security detachment has been deployed to the affected area for assessment and potential rescue operations.

While the police have yet to confirm the exact number of abductees, local residents reported to Reuters that the attackers kidnapped more than 60 worshippers. The coordinated attack unfolded simultaneously across multiple communities in Borgu. As kidnappings for ransom have proliferated in northwestern and north-central Nigeria, communities remain on edge from frequent raids by bandits.