By Ono Yima
The presidential candidate of NDC, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the mass abduction and killings reported in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, following attacks on several communities on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Armed men reportedly attacked communities including Gidan-Zana, Kpenya and Dekara before storming a mosque in Kpenya during Juma’at prayers and abducting worshippers. Police confirmed the attacks the following day. Local sources initially put the number of abductees at more than 60. Subsequent reports indicated that the scale of the abduction could be significantly higher, with a video appearing to show about 600 women, children and elderly people in captivity.
Reacting to the incident in a statement posted on X, Obi said he was “deeply disturbed” by the development, describing it as “one case too many” and demanding urgent action by the government.
“I am deeply disturbed by the reports of the mass abduction of Nigerians in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, following attacks on communities including Dekara and the abduction of worshippers during Juma’at prayers,” Obi said.
“Reports indicate that as many as 600 people, predominantly women, children and elderly Nigerians, may have been taken. The exact number is still being verified. Tragically, reports also indicate that about 30 people may have been killed.”
“This is one case too many,” he declared.
Obi said the circumstances of the attack should compel the government to treat the security situation as an emergency.
“The fact that Nigerians can be attacked in broad daylight, in their place of worship, abducted in such numbers and taken into the forests should shake the conscience of every Nigerian and compel urgent action from government,” he said.
He also expressed concern that the country’s political class was becoming increasingly focused on the 2027 elections while Nigerians remained vulnerable to attacks.
“Our people are being left vulnerable while the political class appears increasingly consumed by the next election,” Obi said.
“Elections will come and go, but the lives of Nigerians cannot be recovered once lost.”
He called on the Federal Government to deploy intelligence-led operations to rescue the victims and dismantle the networks behind the attacks.
“Government must treat this as an emergency: deploy overwhelming intelligence-led security operations, rescue every person in captivity, secure the affected communities and dismantle the networks and enclaves enabling these terrorists to operate,” he said.
Obi also linked the difficulty encountered by security personnel in reaching the affected communities to the state of infrastructure in the area.
“The Police complain that difficult terrain and a collapsed bridge hampered the initial rescue response in Borgu, which supports my consistent plea to concentrate on repairs of existing infrastructure,” he said.
He expressed solidarity with the Niger State Government, residents of the affected communities and families of those abducted or killed.
“I stand with the Niger State Government, the good people of Niger State and the families of those abducted and killed,” Obi said.
“We must bring our people home and restore the confidence that government exists to protect them.”
He concluded: “A New Nigeria is POssible, and Nigeria will be OK.”