No fewer than 60 worshippers were reportedly abducted when suspected terrorists invaded a mosque in Dekara, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, during Friday’s Jumu’at prayer.
The attackers were said to have stormed the Central Mosque in the community and opened fire sporadically before taking several worshippers away into the surrounding forest.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident was one of several attacks reportedly recorded in parts of Borgu Local Government Area on Friday.
According to the source, the attackers also invaded other communities in the area, heightening fears among residents over the deteriorating security situation.
“They attacked three communities, including Dekara. In Dekara, they went to the Central Mosque while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing and abducted more than 60 worshippers,” the resident said.
The source, however, said no worshipper was injured during the attack, despite the sporadic gunshots fired by the assailants.
The incident reportedly occurred while the worshippers were observing the weekly congregational prayer, catching members of the community off guard.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation of the reported abduction were ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who was contacted for confirmation, said he would verify the report and respond.
However, he had yet to provide an official update on the incident as of press time.