Armed men, suspected to be terrorists, have reportedly abducted over 60 worshippers during an attack on the Kpenya Central Mosque in the Dekara district of Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State.
Police and local reports confirmed that security forces have been deployed for rescue operation to track the terrorists, who stormed the Mosque in a large number during Friday Jumu’at prayers.
According to sources within the area, the terrorists shot sporadically before assembling some of the terrified worshippers and marching into the forest at gunpoint in what some locals described as a brazen abduction that caps a wave of violence across the Local Government Area in recent times.
With information emerging that the area recorded multiple security breaches on Friday, one of the community members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told some reporters that: “So many things have happened in Borgu LGA today. Terrorists attacked three communities, including Dekara.
“In Dekara, they went to the Central Mosque while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing and kidnapped more than 60 people. But they did not injure anybody.”
However, the Niger State Police Command is yet to issue an official report regarding the unfortunate incident, as authorities move to verify the details. When contacted by reporters for clarification, the Command’s Spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated that he was actively working to confirm the specifics of the situation with high-ranking officials.
He assured the public that a comprehensive statement would be made available as soon as the facts are fully established by the Police authorities in the affected area.
