Armed men abducted over 60 worshippers from a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state during Friday prayers, police said on Saturday, in the latest mass kidnapping in the country.
Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said the attackers stormed Kpenya Mosque in the Dekara district of the Borgu local government area at about 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday after first attacking Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages.
“The developing report indicated that no life was lost, while joint security detachment has been deployed to the area for assessment and rescue operations,” Abiodun said in a statement.
A local resident told Reuters the attack appeared coordinated and occurred simultaneously in Dekara and three other communities in Borgu while residents were observing Friday prayers.
Reuters could not immediately verify the account independently.
Mass kidnappings for ransom have recently been witnessed in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria.
