Tinubu orders immediate rescue of 600 Niger abduction victims

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate deployment of Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies to rescue victims of a mass abduction in Niger State, following coordinated attacks on communities and worshippers in Borgu Local Government Area.

The President directed the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security and intelligence agencies to mount a coordinated operation to locate the abducted citizens and bring them home safely.

Tinubu’s directive came amid mounting concern over the scale of the August 21 attacks, during which armed men raided several communities in Borgu, including Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida and Gidan-Zana, attacking worshippers during Friday prayers and abducting scores of people.

Initial reports put the number of abductees considerably lower, but a video that emerged on social media has intensified fears over the scale of the operation.

Reuters reported that the footage appeared to show approximately 600 women, children and elderly people being held by armed men in a forested location. Reuters, however, said it could not independently verify the exact number of captives or the precise time and location of the recording.

Local reports have also pointed to fatalities in the attacks. Daily Trust reported that at least 30 people were killed in attacks on four mosques in Borgu, while worshippers were abducted.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, Tinubu condemned the attackers as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” and vowed that they would not escape justice.

“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.

Tinubu expressed condolences to families who lost relatives in the attacks and assured those whose loved ones were abducted that the Federal Government would intensify efforts to secure their release.

“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 said.

The President subsequently ordered the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular updates on the rescue operation until all those abducted have been accounted for.

“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” Tinubu said.

The latest crisis comes barely three weeks after security agencies rescued 308 Nigerians abducted in separate attacks in Kwara and Niger states.

Of those rescued in the August 5 operation, 145 had been abducted in Niger State and were recovered from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area. The operation involved the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, the Armed Forces, DSS and the Nigeria Police Force and was described by the Presidency as the largest single-day rescue operation carried out by the joint security team.

The latest attacks underline the persistent threat posed by armed groups operating in Niger State despite recent security successes. On August 12, police also recovered nine bodies along the Wawa-Lumma Road in Borgu, with authorities suspecting that the victims had been killed by bandits. Security forces subsequently intensified clearance operations along the route and surrounding areas.

The situation has generated fresh political pressure on the Federal Government. Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar condemned the Borgu killings and mass abduction, describing the incident as another indictment of Nigeria’s security architecture.

The Presidency, however, has maintained that the government will continue to deploy intelligence-led and coordinated security operations against armed groups.

The scale of the latest abduction will test that strategy, particularly as authorities face the difficult task of locating captives reportedly taken into forested terrain while simultaneously preventing further attacks on vulnerable communities.

For residents and families in Borgu, the immediate priority remains the safe return of their relatives.

Tinubu said the Federal Government would provide Niger State with the necessary support for recovery, relief and security reinforcement, insisting that the latest violence would not weaken the government’s resolve to protect Nigerians.

“My prayers are with the people of Niger State at this difficult time. The Federal Government stands firmly with the State Government and will provide all necessary support to aid recovery, relief, and security reinforcement,” he said.