Nigeria: Amnesty Demands Rescue of Worshippers Abducted in Niger Mosque Attack

What the report says

Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to urgently secure the release of worshippers abducted during Friday prayers at a mosque in Kpenya, in Niger State’s Borgu Local Government Area. The appeal followed an attack on 21 August that the rights group said led to an unspecified number of kidnappings; local residents cited by Premium Times believed more than 80 people may have been taken.

According to the report, the Niger State Government confirmed the assault and said suspected terrorists stormed Kpenya Mosque while worshippers were observing Juma’at prayers. Officials said people fled into nearby areas as attackers seized an unknown number of victims, and authorities were still trying to determine the total. Governor Mohammed Bago ordered security agencies to intensify search and rescue efforts, and the state said a joint operation had been deployed.

Amnesty said the attack highlighted the wider pattern of mass abductions affecting rural communities in northern Nigeria, particularly along the Borgu-Kainji corridor near the Niger-Kebbi border and Kainji Lake National Park. The organization also urged the federal government to strengthen protections for civilians, support victims and families, and ensure accountability for those responsible. The report cited earlier attacks in the area as evidence of persistent insecurity, including killings, kidnappings and arson reported in recent months.

The development adds to growing concern over the safety of worshippers, travelers and residents in northwestern Nigeria, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted rural settlements and places of worship.