Gunmen abduct over 60 worshippers from Nigeria mosque, police say
Armed gunmen abducted over 60 worshippers from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger state during Friday prayers. Security forces have been deployed to the region, which has seen a rise in mass kidnappings by criminal gangs.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the ongoing security crisis and the prevalence of mass kidnappings for ransom in parts of Nigeria.
Armed men abducted over 60 worshippers from a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state during Friday (August 21, 2026) prayers, police said on Saturday (August 22, 2026), in the latest mass kidnapping in a region plagued by violent gangs.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said the attackers stormed Kpenya Mosque in the Dekara district of the Borgu local government area at about 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday (August 21, 2026) after first attacking Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages.
“The developing report indicated that no life was lost, while joint security detachment has been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations,” Abiodun said in a statement.
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