Armed gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Niger state in north-central Nigeria. The incident occurred two days before a video emerged on Sunday showing what appeared to be a large group of captives being held in a forested area.
The video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, features children heard crying and a gunman speaking in the Hausa language directly addressing families of the captives. Local residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, confirmed they were able to identify some of the hostages in the footage, including elders, relatives, wives and children. News agencies noted they could not independently verify the exact date or location of the video, though no earlier versions were found posted online.
The abductions occurred through simultaneous raids on several communities in the region. The state commissioner announced that an operation was underway to assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate rescue efforts. Police and state authorities declined to comment further on the incident.
The kidnapping represents part of a broader pattern of mass abductions for ransom in northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where armed gangs have increasingly targeted villages, schools and highways. Recent operations have extended beyond traditional hotspots in the far north, reaching communities further south. The incident occurs as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security concerns expected to feature prominently in campaign discussions. International organizations including Amnesty International have called on Nigerian authorities to secure the hostages’ release and address the escalating threat posed by such abductions.
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