Scores of people kidnapped from a mosque as armed groups attacked multiple villages in Nigeria

Armed groups attacked multiple villages in Nigeria's north-central Niger state on Friday, abducting scores of people from a mosque in Kpenya village. Police confirmed the abductions occurred after attacks in a string of villages in the Borgu Local Government Area. While police did not provide exact numbers, residents estimate between 60 and 80 people were kidnapped. No lives were lost in the attacks, and the military has been deployed to the area. The motive for the abductions is believed to be ransom, a common practice by multiple armed groups operating in Nigeria. A search for the abducted individuals is ongoing.

Armed men attacked three villages and a mosque in central Niger State, Nigeria, on Friday, kidnapping dozens of people. The attackers, identified by a survivor as members of the Lakurawa armed group, stormed Kpenya Mosque in the Dekara district after first raiding the villages of Gidan-Zana and Kpenya. Police confirmed awareness of the kidnappings and deployed a security detachment for assessment and rescue operations, but could not confirm the exact number of abductees. Local residents reported over 60 worshippers were taken, and some claimed people were killed, though these figures could not be independently verified. A third group, Mahmuda, reportedly intervened and clashed with the kidnappers, allowing some to escape.