Tinubu Orders Coordinated Rescue Operation for Abducted Niger Worshippers
Tinubu Orders Coordinated Rescue Operation for Abducted Niger Worshippers
By Olayinka Temilade
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security agencies to launch an immediate and coordinated operation to rescue victims of the recent mass abduction in Niger State.
The directive, issued on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, followed the abduction of worshippers and other residents during attacks in the Borgu Local Government Area of the state.
The attacks occurred on Friday, August 21, with security authorities confirming that suspected armed men attacked communities including Gidan-Zana and Kpenya before abducting an unspecified number of people at a mosque during Juma’at prayers. Joint security personnel were subsequently deployed to assess the situation and begin rescue operations.
The exact number of people abducted remains unconfirmed. Reuters reported that residents estimated that more than 60 worshippers were taken, while a video circulating online appeared to show hundreds of women, children and elderly people in captivity. However, Reuters said it could not independently verify the number of captives or establish when and where the video was recorded.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the attackers as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” and vowed that those responsible would face justice.
The President also expressed condolences to families affected by the attack and assured relatives of the abducted victims that the government would continue efforts to secure their safe return. He directed the Service Chiefs to provide regular updates until all abducted persons are accounted for.
The incident occurred less than three weeks after Nigerian security agencies rescued 308 abducted citizens in Niger and Kwara states. According to the State House, 145 of those rescued had been abducted in Niger State and were recovered from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area.
