President Bola Tinubu has ordered an immediate and coordinated rescue operation following the recent mass abduction of residents in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The directive was contained in a State House statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu condemned the attack, describing those responsible as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity”, and assured the victims’ families that the Federal Government would work to secure the safe return of those abducted.
According to the President, the attackers would not escape justice.
He said the Federal Government would not relent until the abducted victims, including men, women and children, were safely reunited with their families.
The President also expressed condolences to the families of those killed during the attack and prayed for them to find strength during the difficult period.
Tinubu subsequently directed the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other relevant security and intelligence agencies to launch a coordinated operation to rescue the victims.
He vowed that Nigeria would not surrender to terrorism or allow criminal groups to intimidate citizens.
“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” the President said.
Tinubu added that the Federal Government would continue to support the Niger State Government with the necessary assistance for recovery efforts, relief and security reinforcement.
The directive followed reports that suspected terrorists invaded a mosque in Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village, Dekara District, Borgu Local Government Area, during Friday prayers and abducted several worshippers.
The attackers were said to have stormed the Kpenya Mosque at about 2 pm and began taking worshippers away.
Women, children and elderly residents were reportedly among those abducted, while several others fled into a nearby forest to escape the attackers.
The assailants were also said to have abducted the village head of Ka’ada, who had only recently regained his freedom from captivity, as well as the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara.
