Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and all other relevant security and intelligence agencies to immediately launch a coordinated rescue operation for the victims of the recent mass abduction in Niger State, where hundreds of worshippers were taken captive during Friday prayers. The directive was announced on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said Tinubu had condemned the attack and vowed that the perpetrators would not escape justice. The abduction occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026, when suspected terrorists invaded the Kpenya Mosque in Dekara District, Borgu Local Government Area, during Juma'at prayers and began taking worshippers away. Residents said the attackers also carried out simultaneous raids on several communities in the area, taking people away during the assaults.
A video that emerged on Sunday, August 23, showed what appeared to be a large group of captives being held by armed men in a forested location. The footage, which was circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, shows children crying while an armed man speaking Hausa addresses the families of those being held and asks them to identify their relatives. Residents said the video showed about 600 women, children and older people abducted during the attack. Reuters could not independently verify the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years. The attackers also reportedly abducted the Village Head of Ka'ada, who was recently released from their custody, as well as the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara.
In his directive, Tinubu described the perpetrators as "enemies of peace and enemies of humanity" and assured the victims' families that the Federal Government would work to secure the safe return of those abducted. "Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free," the President said. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and prayed that Almighty God grant them eternal rest. "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," he declared.
Tinubu further directed the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular updates on the progress of the rescue operation until all the abducted persons have been accounted for. "Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life," he said. The President also reaffirmed the Federal Government's solidarity with the Niger State Government, pledging all necessary support for recovery, relief and security reinforcement. The directive marks the first public comments by the presidency on the incident, which has drawn international attention and heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in north-central Nigeria.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways. The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms and have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north. As the rescue operation gets underway, the families of the abducted worshippers await news of their loved ones, hoping that the President's directive will translate into action and bring their sons, daughters, mothers and fathers home safely.
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