Dozens of Worshippers Abducted From Mosque in Nigeria’s Niger State

Armed men have abducted dozens of worshippers from a mosque in Niger State, Nigeria, after attacking several nearby villages, according to residents and police. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said the attackers stormed Kpenya Mosque in the Dekara district of Borgu Local Government Area at around 2 p.m. on Friday. Residents estimated that between 60 and 80 people were taken, although authorities have yet to confirm the exact number.

Abiodun said initial reports indicated that no one had been killed and that a joint security team had been deployed to the area to assess the situation and conduct rescue operations. Borgu Local Government Chairman Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir said several people suffered gunshot wounds while attempting to escape the attackers.

Nasir said the victims were abducted while they were praying, describing how the attackers surrounded the mosque and took the worshippers away. Among those reportedly abducted was the 85-year-old father of Zubairu Umar Talba, a youth leader in Dekara, according to a local community representative.