President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate launch of a coordinated rescue operation following the mass abduction of worshippers and residents in parts of Niger State.
The president particularly directed the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant security and intelligence agencies to mobilise for the rescue of those abducted during attacks in Borgu Local Government Area of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu also expressed outrage over the reported abduction and killing of innocent residents, describing the perpetrators as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” who would not be allowed to escape justice.
He condoled with families who lost loved ones in the attacks and assured them that the Federal Government would not relent until the abducted victims were rescued.
“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,” the President said.
He further directed the service chiefs to provide him with regular updates on the progress of the rescue operation until all the abducted persons were accounted for.
According to reports, terrorists invaded four communities in Borgu LGA last Friday, attacking mosques during Jumu’at prayers and abducting worshippers.
The affected communities include Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida and Gidan-Zana.
A resident said more than 60 worshippers were abducted from the central mosque in Dekara alone, although no deaths were initially recorded during the attack.
The scale of the abduction, however, remained unclear, with a video released by the terrorists on Sunday claiming that about 500 people, including women and children, were in their custody.
In the video, children could be heard crying as the narrator urged relatives to identify their family members among the captives.
The attacks have also triggered fresh displacement, with residents fleeing their communities for safety in neighbouring areas and the Benin Republic.
One resident, Usman Musa, said more than 200 people from Gbezin had crossed into the Benin Republic and were taking refuge there.
Another resident said about 230 people from Gidan-Zana and Sabon-Gida had fled to Gawungi in Benin Republic, while others had moved to Kwara State to stay with relatives.
There were also reports that some of the abducted worshippers had been killed, although residents said the exact number of casualties remained unknown.
A resident of Dekara said terrorists had issued a warning on Saturday ordering those who remained in the affected communities to leave within 30 minutes or risk being killed.
He added that security forces and local vigilantes had commenced operations to recover bodies, but the presence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along possible routes was complicating the operation.
The resident also said an injured worshipper who escaped during the attack later died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Babanna.
Among those reportedly abducted was the 90-year-old village head of Ka’ada, who had only recently regained his freedom after being kidnapped.
The latest attacks have heightened concerns over the deteriorating security situation in communities bordering the Benin Republic, with residents fleeing their homes amid fears of further attacks.
Tinubu vowed that the Federal Government would provide the necessary support for security reinforcement, relief and recovery in Niger State.
“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” the president was quoted as saying.