President Bola Tinubu has directed security and intelligence agencies to launch an immediate coordinated operation to rescue victims abducted during a deadly series of attacks on communities in Niger State.
The President’s directive came after gunmen reportedly invaded several communities in the remote Borgu area of the state on Friday, August 21, killing residents, attacking worshippers and taking an unspecified number of people into nearby forests.
The affected communities include Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka, with reports indicating that the attackers operated in military-style clothing and moved from one community to another during the coordinated assault.
His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, condemned the killings and abductions, describing the attackers as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” who would not escape justice.
The President also directed the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular updates on the rescue operation until all the abducted persons are accounted for.
“Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free,” Tinubu said.
He extended his condolences to families who lost loved ones in the attack and assured affected communities that the Federal Government would deploy all necessary resources to support rescue, relief and security operations.
“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,” the President said.
The actual scale of the attack remains unclear, as official figures on the number of people killed or abducted have not been established.
The Niger Police Command said it was still assessing the situation and verifying information emerging from the affected communities.
Police spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, said an initial report indicated that suspected terrorists entered Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village, through the Dekara District of Borgu during the afternoon of August 21.
According to him, the attackers stormed Kpenya Mosque while worshippers were praying and abducted an unspecified number of people.
He said security personnel had been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.
However, accounts from citizens and local sources suggested that the attack may have been far more devastating than the initial official reports indicated.
A local youth leader, who spoke on anonymously claimed that as many as 500 people could have been abducted during the attacks.
He said his estimate was based partly on a video being circulated on social media showing a large group of women, children and men sitting in a forest.
The youth leader said he recognised several people from his community among those shown in the video, including an elderly man regarded by residents as a grandfather figure in Gidan Zana.
Another citizen Ibrahim Abubakar, told newsmen that he recognised 13 people from his community in the footage.
While authorities have yet to confirm the final casualty figure, local sources said a number of victims had already been buried.
The youth leader claimed that about 30 victims were buried on Monday, while other reports indicated that several survivors sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in hospitals.
A local official also reportedly said the attackers planted improvised explosive devices in parts of the affected communities while forcing abductees into the forest.
According to the account, a teenage victim was killed when one of the explosives detonated as he attempted to escape.
Citizens have also reportedly fled their homes in large numbers, with some seeking refuge in neighbouring Nigerian states and others crossing into Benin Republic.
Tinubu, in his reaction, vowed that the Federal Government would not allow the attacks to weaken the country or undermine the safety of citizens.
“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” he said.
The President directed the Armed Forces, police, DSS and other relevant agencies to work together in the rescue operation and ordered the Service Chiefs to keep him regularly informed of developments.
He also assured the Niger State Government and affected communities of federal support for recovery, relief and security reinforcement.
