Tinubu order manhunt as survivors claim gunmen kidnap ova 500 pipo from villages for Niger state

Survivors of one deadly attack for Niger state, north-central Nigeria tell BBC how gunmen kill dozens of worshippers and kidnap plenty pipo during coordinated raids on four communities.

President Bola Tinubu don order security agencies to launch manhunt for di attackers and rescue dos wey dem kidnap during Friday, 21 August assault on villages for di remote Borgu area.

According to tori, di gunmen wear military-style clothing and attack Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka villages

Tok-tok pesin for Niger state police command, Wasiu Abiodun tell BBC say di jaguda pipo kill more dan 40 pipo. However, authorities say dem neva fit confam di exact number of pipo wey die and dos dem kidnap.

"On 21/08/2026 at about 4pm, we receive report wey indicate say on same day at about 2pm, suspected terrorists bin enta Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village via Dekara District Borgu, and Kpenya mosque and abduct unspecified number of pipo during prayers while oda escape into di nearby forest," Abiodun tok.

Oga Abiodun add say from di tori wey dem get, nobodi kpai and dem don send security pipo go di area for assessment and to try rescue dem.

"However, developing report indicate say nobody die, while dem don send joint security detachment go di area for assessment and rescue operations."

Residents fear say di scale of di kidnappings fit big pass di official estimates.

One local youth leader, wey no wan make im name dey mentioned sake of security reasons, tell BBC say dem kidnap as many as 500 pipo.

Im estimate follow di video wey one armed group dey spread on social media, di video show women, children and men siddon for inside forest.

Di youth leader say e recognise several pipo from im community for di video.

"I dey able to identify many pipo. One elderly man dey for di video wey be like grandfather to us," e tok. "e live for Gidan Zana village."

E say im families wey sabi relatives for di video bin dey relieved to know say dem still dey alive.

"At least dem know wia dia loved ones dey and hope say dem go dey rescued, unlike dos wey still neva get information about missing relatives," e add.

Di youth leader tok say dem bury about 30 victims on Monday and say di gunmen neva contact di communities wit any demands.

For di video, one of di suspected terrorists bin dey send message to di families of di pipo wey dem kidnap.

E tell dem to ​identify dia relatives among di pipo wey dey inside di video.

"Na your pipo be dis. We dey show you dis video so dat you fit identify your family members, your papa, mama, pikin dem and relatives," na wetin di gunman tok.

Di Niger State police say dem still dey try to verify di video and di mata dey veri sensitive.

Di BBC neva independently verify dis video too but tori be say some pipo wey dey di village wey don see di video don identify some of di victims.

"Di pipo for di video come from Dekara. I don identify 13 pipo ​wey I sabi," Ibrahim ​Abubakar tell Reuters.

One local blogger wey dey familiar wit di area tell BBC say many residents don run comot from dia homes, go seek refuge for neighbouring Nigerian states and across di border for Benin.

Some survivors dey receive treatment for hospital, plus pipo wey get serious injuries.

One local official also tell BBC say di attackers plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for parts of di affected communities as dem lead di abductees enta di forest. E say one teenage die wen one explosive detonate as e dey try escape.

For one statement wey presidential tok-tok Bayo Onanuga issue, President Tinubu condemn di killings and abductions and promise say dos wey dey responsible go face justice.

"Dos wey carry out dis cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians be enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, dem no go go scot-free," di statement tok.

Di president also express condolences to di families of dos wey die.

Di attack na di latest sign of worsening insecurity for Borgu area, wey be border between Kebbi and Kwara states plus neighbouring Benin.

Earlier dis month, police say dem rescue 145 pipo wey dem kidnap from foru oda villages for di area.

Local officials don also raise concerns about di growing presence of jihadist groups wey dey operate for parts of north-western Nigeria and along di border region, dem say some fighters recently enta communities and impose religious restrictions on residents.

Also, kdnapping for Nigeria don turn to anoda tin for di West African kontri. E don dey regular to di extent wey two months go hardly pass witout any kidnapping incident.

E neva tey wey Nigeria security pipo do collabo to rescue di victims of Orire kidnapping wey include teachers and schoolchildren.

Three suspects bin land for prison afta court sama dem life imprisonment. Dis na afta di Nigeria govment drag dem go court wit nine count charges wey all of dem plead guily sharp-sharp.

One army official kpai for di rescue mission as security pipo bin tell di public how dem manage rescue dem.

Dis na just one of di plenti kidnapping cases wey dey happun for different parts of di kontri.

Nigeria President, Bola Tinubu dey change security oga dem for di kontri so dem go fit reduce di insecurity challenges for di kontri but e be like say di more dem dey try, di more di jaguda pipo dey increase.

For May, gunmen kidnap ova 50 pipo for Borno State. Di questions many Nigerians dey ask na wen dis kidnapping go end?