Many worshippers have been abducted by suspected terrorists after attending Friday prayers at a central mosque in Dekara community, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The victims were reportedly taken into a nearby forest shortly after the Jumma’ah prayers on Friday afternoon, with residents saying the attackers surrounded the mosque before forcing the worshippers into the bush.
A resident, Mohammed Haruna, told journalists that the armed men marched the victims towards the Kainji Lake forest, an area suspected to harbour criminal groups.
According to him, the attackers took control of the area immediately after the prayers and forced the worshippers to leave the mosque.
“They surrounded the mosque immediately after the prayers and forced the worshippers into the nearby bush. They lined them up and marched them towards the forest,” Haruna said.
Another resident, Hassan Ibrahim, said those abducted were from several communities around Dekara, including Gidan Zana, Masaka and Sabo Gida.
He explained that residents of the communities regularly attended Friday prayers at the central mosque.
Ibrahim said the village head of Ka’ada, who was recently released after spending time in captivity, was among those reportedly abducted.
He also identified the chief imam of the central mosque as one of the victims.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident but said it had yet to establish the exact number of people abducted.
The command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, said suspected terrorists invaded Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages through Dekara District before abducting an unspecified number of people during prayers.
Abiodun said the incident was reported to the police after the attackers invaded the communities at about 2pm.
“On 21/8/2026 at about 4pm, report received indicated that on same date at about 2pm, suspected terrorists invaded Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village via Dekara District Borgu, and Kpenya mosque and abducted unspecified number of persons during prayers while others escaped into the nearby forest,” he said.
The police spokesman said no death had been recorded in the attack, adding that a joint security team had been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations.
“However, the developing report indicated that no life was lost, while a joint security detachment has been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations. Further developments will be made public,” Abiodun stated.
The deployment is expected to help security agencies establish the number of victims, locate the abducted worshippers and track the attackers through the surrounding forest.
The incident has triggered fresh concerns among communities around the Kainji Lake area, where extensive forests and difficult terrain have continued to provide hideouts and escape routes for criminal groups.
Residents said the abduction had heightened fears over the safety of people living in remote communities, particularly those travelling between villages to attend religious activities, markets and other social engagements.
The latest attack also underscores concerns over the vulnerability of places of worship in rural communities, where large numbers of residents gather at specific times, making them potential targets for armed groups.
For the affected communities, the abduction of worshippers immediately after Friday prayers has raised questions about security presence around the area and the ability of security agencies to respond quickly to attacks.
The Chairman of Borgu Local Government Area, Abdullahi Nasir, could not be reached for comment, while the state Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maurice Justin, did not respond to calls at the time of filing the report.
Security agencies are expected to intensify surveillance and search operations around Dekara, Gidan-Zana, Kpenya and the forest corridors leading towards the Kainji Lake area.
West Trybe reports that the incident comes amid persistent security challenges in parts of Niger State, where communities continue to face attacks, abductions and other forms of criminality. The reported abduction of worshippers from a mosque immediately after Friday prayers has further heightened concerns over the safety of residents in communities around the Kainji Lake axis.
