Communities release names of 547 abducted worshippers in Niger, dispute governor’s claim of 33

Communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State have released the names of 547 worshippers allegedly abducted during attacks on mosques in Dekara District, contradicting Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s claim that only 33 people were kidnapped.

The governor had dismissed reports that more than 500 people were abducted as “social media hype” while receiving his predecessor, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, at the Government House.

Bago said 33 people were kidnapped at a mosque, while another 30 were abducted at a market, bringing the total to 63.

He added that three of the abductees had been killed and 14 rescued, urging the public not to be misled by reports on social media.

The chairman of Borgu LGA, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, also corroborated the governor’s position, telling Daily Trust that “a little above 60” people were kidnapped during the attack.

However, the affected communities rejected the claims and released a document containing the names of 547 people they said were abducted.

Zubairu Umar, Youth President of Dekara District, said the 547 community members were taken into the Kainji Lake National Park Forest and that their whereabouts and condition remained unknown.

The attack occurred on August 21, 2026, when bandits reportedly raided four mosques in Dekara District during Friday Jumu’at prayers.

According to the community’s breakdown, the abductions affected five communities, with Gbenji recording 341 victims, Giagbasso (Sabon Gida) 104, Dekara 88, Kpenya (Masaka) nine and Gbebara five.

The list also included the Chief Imam of Dekara, Adamu Attahiru, alongside local village heads and other community members.

The conflicting figures have raised concerns over the actual number of people abducted during the attack, with the affected communities insisting that the scale of the incident was significantly higher than the figures given by government officials.

The communities said many of those abducted were still unaccounted for, with their whereabouts and condition unknown.