Photo Credit: Vengard

NNA News - Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered security and intelligence agencies to launch an immediate coordinated operation to rescue dozens of people abducted during an attack on a mosque in Niger State.

Between 60 and 80 people were reportedly kidnapped when suspected terrorists attacked a central mosque during weekly prayers in Dekara, a community in Borgu Local Government Area, on Friday, according to residents and a local government official.

Tinubu expressed outrage over the incident and confirmed that innocent people had been killed in the attack. "I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who were killed in this barbaric assault," the president said. "You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish," he added.

The president ordered security chiefs to provide him with regular updates on the rescue operation until all those abducted have been accounted for. The reported number of people taken remains uncertain. Borgu Local Government Area chairman Abdullahi Mohammed Nasiru rejected reports that as many as 600 people had been abducted, saying at least 60 people were kidnapped. Nasiru also said an unspecified number of residents sustained gunshot injuries while attempting to escape the attackers.

Other residents reported that about 80 people were missing following the incident. The police had earlier confirmed the attack but said no casualties had been reported at the time. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun told the media that the attackers surrounded the central mosque in Dekara before forcing worshippers along a bush path. According to Abiodun, security forces attempting to reach the affected communities have faced significant logistical challenges.

A collapsed bridge connecting the main town to the affected communities, combined with difficult terrain and poor road conditions, has hampered the rescue operation. The incident highlights the continuing security challenges facing communities in Niger State, which has experienced repeated cases of kidnapping and other violent attacks in recent years. The attack also underscores the difficulties faced by security agencies in reaching remote communities where damaged infrastructure and limited road access can delay emergency responses.

Tinubu has directed the country's security chiefs to maintain close oversight of the operation as authorities work to establish the whereabouts of those taken and respond to the reported deaths and injuries. The government has not provided a final confirmed figure for the number of people abducted. Authorities are expected to continue efforts to locate the victims while investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack and identifying those responsible.