Peter Obi Calls for Urgent Action on Niger Abductions

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has raised an alarm regarding the reported mass abduction of around 600 residents in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. He called on the Federal Government to treat the situation as an emergency and enhance rescue operations for those still in captivity.

The attacks, which occurred on August 21, targeted communities including Dekara, Kpenya, Gidan-Zana, and Sabon Gida, with worshippers abducted during Juma’at prayers. Obi indicated that initial reports suggested about 30 people may have been killed during these incidents.

He condemned the abduction of worshippers and criticized the government's focus on political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, stating that the protection of lives should take precedence. Obi urged the Federal Government to deploy "overwhelming intelligence-led security operations" to locate and rescue the abducted individuals and secure the affected communities.

The Niger State Police Command confirmed an unspecified number of worshippers were taken, and a joint security team has been dispatched to assess the situation.