Nigeria's President Tinubu Orders Manhunt After Kidnappers Release Abductee Video
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a nationwide search for armed militants who raided four villages—Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka—in Niger state last Friday. The attack came after the kidnappers posted a video on social media showing suspected abductees seated in a forest and warning locals of further violence.
According to residents, the attackers targeted mosques during prayers and possibly abducted as many as 500 people, though the number has not been confirmed. Local police report over 40 deaths, with additional injuries treated at hospitals nearby. The attackers also planted improvised explosive devices that killed a teenage boy when he tried to abandon the forest.
In a press statement, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga condemned the killings and vowed justice for the victims, urging that the perpetrators would not escape unscathed. The incident underscores the growing insecurity in the Borgu area, which borders Benin and neighboring Nigerian states, and raises concerns about the encroachment of jihadist and extremist groups.
