Families in Nigeria’s Borno State continue to search for loved ones who have disappeared, as the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The annual observance highlights people whose whereabouts remain unknown after abduction, arrest, detention or other unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Showing posts with label kidnapping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kidnapping. Show all posts
Monday, August 31, 2026
Video - Families search for missing loved ones in Nigeria
Families in Nigeria’s Borno State continue to search for loved ones who have disappeared, as the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The annual observance highlights people whose whereabouts remain unknown after abduction, arrest, detention or other unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Nigeria’s worsening insecurity tests president’s second-term bid
The mass abduction of hundreds of people from mosques in northern Nigeria this month was at once shocking and yet unsurprising: The targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandits has surged compared to last year, and the three months through June were the most violent in at least three decades.
The latest attack comes on the heels of a retired army general's shocking death in captivity after being kidnapped on his way to a wedding, and the kidnap of more than a hundred other travelers in two separate events in the northwest.
President Bola Tinubu, who began a three-week vacation in Europe on Sunday, ordered an army and police rescue operation of the 600 people kidnapped in Niger state, but the episode comes at a crucial moment: He is in the midst of campaigning for reelection and while his team has trumpeted economic progress, it has been quieter about Nigeria's security situation.
Tinubu anchored his 2023 manifesto on grand national security promises of "a proactive and intelligence driven security approach," but he has mainly focused on fixing Nigeria's ailing economy in his first term. His team put out a scorecard this month of his three-year performance that focused on economic results.
"Certainly in the first couple of years of this administration, insecurity did not seem to be the priority," said James Barnett, a non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute who has lived and researched conflict in Nigeria. "That doesn't mean there weren't security policies being implemented, but it was not really getting the top level engagement."
Leading opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, also Tinubu's main rivals ballot in 2023, have pledged to hire more people and "decentralize security management" to tackle insecurity, if elected. For his part, Tinubu has backed a law that will allow Nigerian states to set up their own police departments, and tasked a security committee with drafting a five-year "strategic defence operations plan."
By Alexander Onukwue, SEMAFOR
The latest attack comes on the heels of a retired army general's shocking death in captivity after being kidnapped on his way to a wedding, and the kidnap of more than a hundred other travelers in two separate events in the northwest.
President Bola Tinubu, who began a three-week vacation in Europe on Sunday, ordered an army and police rescue operation of the 600 people kidnapped in Niger state, but the episode comes at a crucial moment: He is in the midst of campaigning for reelection and while his team has trumpeted economic progress, it has been quieter about Nigeria's security situation.
Tinubu anchored his 2023 manifesto on grand national security promises of "a proactive and intelligence driven security approach," but he has mainly focused on fixing Nigeria's ailing economy in his first term. His team put out a scorecard this month of his three-year performance that focused on economic results.
"Certainly in the first couple of years of this administration, insecurity did not seem to be the priority," said James Barnett, a non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute who has lived and researched conflict in Nigeria. "That doesn't mean there weren't security policies being implemented, but it was not really getting the top level engagement."
Leading opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, also Tinubu's main rivals ballot in 2023, have pledged to hire more people and "decentralize security management" to tackle insecurity, if elected. For his part, Tinubu has backed a law that will allow Nigerian states to set up their own police departments, and tasked a security committee with drafting a five-year "strategic defence operations plan."
Alexander's view
The worry over being abducted is more firmly ingrained in the Nigerian psyche compared to three years ago. The increasing chances of being taken, whether one is in a church, mosque, school, on a trip to the capital Abuja or resting at home, is a grim reality that should not be the case given Tinubu's firm campaign pledges.
Since his first day in office, Tinubu has made sweeping economic changes — from a fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluations, to overhauling tax laws and reigniting oil and gas investment — but has not shown the same urgency on security issues that should be his primary duty. It means that Nigeria's continuing failure to stamp out abduction and terrorism is Tinubu's failure.
"Despite sustained military pressure, there's no evidence that Nigeria's insecurity is abating in substantial terms," Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, told me. "Nigerian security planners need to ask and respond to the questions about how the armed groups source their weapons, get fuel they use to power their bikes, and access Starlink for connectivity in their remote locations where telco service is off," Adebayo said.
For Tinubu and his chief adversaries Atiku and Obi, then, Nigeria's security predicament will require more than election season sloganeering. The candidates are yet to captivate voters with a robust action plan that seriously takes into account the ideological, economic, and governance gaps that enable bad actors to thrive. And so in facing the same electoral choices as last time, Nigerians are limited to the same set of ideas ill-suited against worsening problems.
The worry over being abducted is more firmly ingrained in the Nigerian psyche compared to three years ago. The increasing chances of being taken, whether one is in a church, mosque, school, on a trip to the capital Abuja or resting at home, is a grim reality that should not be the case given Tinubu's firm campaign pledges.
Since his first day in office, Tinubu has made sweeping economic changes — from a fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluations, to overhauling tax laws and reigniting oil and gas investment — but has not shown the same urgency on security issues that should be his primary duty. It means that Nigeria's continuing failure to stamp out abduction and terrorism is Tinubu's failure.
"Despite sustained military pressure, there's no evidence that Nigeria's insecurity is abating in substantial terms," Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, told me. "Nigerian security planners need to ask and respond to the questions about how the armed groups source their weapons, get fuel they use to power their bikes, and access Starlink for connectivity in their remote locations where telco service is off," Adebayo said.
For Tinubu and his chief adversaries Atiku and Obi, then, Nigeria's security predicament will require more than election season sloganeering. The candidates are yet to captivate voters with a robust action plan that seriously takes into account the ideological, economic, and governance gaps that enable bad actors to thrive. And so in facing the same electoral choices as last time, Nigerians are limited to the same set of ideas ill-suited against worsening problems.
Know More
Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED whose data shows a 30% rise in the targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandit groups in Nigeria, said this year's second quarter was the country's most violent since the Wisconsin-based firm began collecting data in 1997. "The spread and intensification of armed banditry across northern and central Nigeria" drove the escalation, Serwat told Semafor.
Banditry is increasingly lucrative: Between July 2025 and this year, ransom payments for abductions in Nigeria tripled to $5.8 million, according to the SBM, a Lagos-based consultancy. The rise was on the back of a 66% year-on-year increase in the number of kidnap victims, the firm said.
Analysts say terror groups like rival factions of Boko Haram and al-Qaida affiliates such as the JNIM sect are surging in number and increasingly competing with one another in Nigeria, to a degree that makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish between them and correctly attribute actions.
The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
One such group is Lakurawa. It entered Nigeria from the Sahel following a recourse to self-help by some communities in the northwest, but Nigeria declared it a terrorist group last year for its al-Qaida ties. This identity flux adds to the difficulty of Nigeria's fight against guerrilla warfare, Angalapu said. "They sometimes mix very well with their communities. Sometimes they are bandits by night, and community members by day."
Other conflicts such as between farmers and herders, separatist movements in the southeast, and oil theft in the Niger Delta make up Nigeria's "increasingly layered and geographically dispersed," security troubles that raise the cost of doing business, Jervin Naidoo, political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said.
Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED whose data shows a 30% rise in the targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandit groups in Nigeria, said this year's second quarter was the country's most violent since the Wisconsin-based firm began collecting data in 1997. "The spread and intensification of armed banditry across northern and central Nigeria" drove the escalation, Serwat told Semafor.
Banditry is increasingly lucrative: Between July 2025 and this year, ransom payments for abductions in Nigeria tripled to $5.8 million, according to the SBM, a Lagos-based consultancy. The rise was on the back of a 66% year-on-year increase in the number of kidnap victims, the firm said.
Analysts say terror groups like rival factions of Boko Haram and al-Qaida affiliates such as the JNIM sect are surging in number and increasingly competing with one another in Nigeria, to a degree that makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish between them and correctly attribute actions.
The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
One such group is Lakurawa. It entered Nigeria from the Sahel following a recourse to self-help by some communities in the northwest, but Nigeria declared it a terrorist group last year for its al-Qaida ties. This identity flux adds to the difficulty of Nigeria's fight against guerrilla warfare, Angalapu said. "They sometimes mix very well with their communities. Sometimes they are bandits by night, and community members by day."
Other conflicts such as between farmers and herders, separatist movements in the southeast, and oil theft in the Niger Delta make up Nigeria's "increasingly layered and geographically dispersed," security troubles that raise the cost of doing business, Jervin Naidoo, political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said.
Step Back
After the threat of a coup late last year, Tinubu reshuffled the Nigerian military's top brass. The new leadership then participated in a joint operation with the US in December, striking terrorist enclaves. This year, Tinubu has raised army officers' pay and created more army units, while Nuhu Ribadu, his national security advisor, has met with US officials on three occasions since November to update Washington on Nigeria's efforts to prosecute terrorists and counter terrorist financing.
Yet, "a lot of the Nigerian government's reaction has had to do with managing diplomatic relations," Barnett, of the Hudson Institute, said. Raising military pay and expanding firepower were positive measures, but whether Tinubu maintains the political energy needed to fully implement structural changes beyond this election season remains to be seen, Barnett said.
After the threat of a coup late last year, Tinubu reshuffled the Nigerian military's top brass. The new leadership then participated in a joint operation with the US in December, striking terrorist enclaves. This year, Tinubu has raised army officers' pay and created more army units, while Nuhu Ribadu, his national security advisor, has met with US officials on three occasions since November to update Washington on Nigeria's efforts to prosecute terrorists and counter terrorist financing.
Yet, "a lot of the Nigerian government's reaction has had to do with managing diplomatic relations," Barnett, of the Hudson Institute, said. Raising military pay and expanding firepower were positive measures, but whether Tinubu maintains the political energy needed to fully implement structural changes beyond this election season remains to be seen, Barnett said.
Room for Disagreement
Ebenezer Obadare, the Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow on African Studies, tallies about a half dozen military operations by the Tinubu administration that have rescued hostages, and declares that "the Nigerian President has every reason to be delighted." The killing of at least four high-profile terror group leaders and more than 1,000 terrorists with the US government's assistance suggests that the tide of a prolonged fight against jihadist insurgency "has turned in favor of the Nigerian authorities," he wrote.
But Obadare added that Nigeria's security situation "remains critical," and that continued cooperation with the US remains necessary "for the foreseeable future."
Ebenezer Obadare, the Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow on African Studies, tallies about a half dozen military operations by the Tinubu administration that have rescued hostages, and declares that "the Nigerian President has every reason to be delighted." The killing of at least four high-profile terror group leaders and more than 1,000 terrorists with the US government's assistance suggests that the tide of a prolonged fight against jihadist insurgency "has turned in favor of the Nigerian authorities," he wrote.
But Obadare added that Nigeria's security situation "remains critical," and that continued cooperation with the US remains necessary "for the foreseeable future."
The View From Washington DC
The US Department of Defense plans to withdraw 200 troops who were deployed to Nigeria in February as part of the Trump administration's counter-terrorism assistance. The mission generated "significant security returns," the Pentagon said.
President Donald Trump's aides and Republican political allies have often framed security engagements with Nigeria firstly as a defense of Christians that are supposedly being particularly targeted by jihadists. It continues to be the leading priority of a joint working group that said Abuja has taken steps to prosecute hundreds of terror suspects, and improve law enforcement capacity.
Nigeria has spent at least $9 million on lobbying in the US to counter sentiments questioning Tinubu's security commitment. But that has not stopped Trump allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the US Senate's Africa subcommittee, from threatening sanctions and an aid freeze in response to what they still deem to be "mass violence against Christians and religious minorities."
The US Department of Defense plans to withdraw 200 troops who were deployed to Nigeria in February as part of the Trump administration's counter-terrorism assistance. The mission generated "significant security returns," the Pentagon said.
President Donald Trump's aides and Republican political allies have often framed security engagements with Nigeria firstly as a defense of Christians that are supposedly being particularly targeted by jihadists. It continues to be the leading priority of a joint working group that said Abuja has taken steps to prosecute hundreds of terror suspects, and improve law enforcement capacity.
Nigeria has spent at least $9 million on lobbying in the US to counter sentiments questioning Tinubu's security commitment. But that has not stopped Trump allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the US Senate's Africa subcommittee, from threatening sanctions and an aid freeze in response to what they still deem to be "mass violence against Christians and religious minorities."
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Video - Kidnappings surge in Nigeria as ransom payments climb
A SBM Intelligence report found that 7,825 people were kidnapped in Nigeria in the 12 months to June — a 66% rise on the previous year. The consultancy estimates nearly $5.8 million was paid in ransoms, cautioning that the true total is likely higher because many payments go unreported.
Video - Nigerian armed groups raise nearly $6 Million in ransoms, study finds
Armed groups in Nigeria collected nearly $6 million in ransom payments over the past year, as kidnappings surged across Africa’s most populous country, according to a new study.
The Lagos-based SBM Intelligence consultancy estimates that about 7.78 billion naira, or $5.8 million, was paid in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026 — more than three times the amount recorded the previous year.
At least 7,825 people were abducted, a 66% increase, while more than 1,100 people were killed, including nearly 900 civilians. Two mass kidnappings attributed to Boko Haram accounted for almost 90% of the ransom total, according to the report.
More than 400 people were abducted in Borno state, while around 300 pupils and staff were taken from a Catholic school in Niger state. The figures may be an underestimate, as many victims and their families are reluctant to report ransom payments, which are illegal in Nigeria.
Kidnapping has become an increasingly lucrative source of income for jihadists and criminal gangs known as bandits. The northwest remains the hardest-hit region, with mass abductions becoming increasingly common.
The report says 80% of victims were taken in group seizures, highlighting the growing scale of the crisis. Nigeria's security forces are already stretched by a 17-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast, widespread banditry in the northwest and central regions, and separatist tensions in the southeast.
SBM Intelligence says tackling the crisis will require cutting off the financial networks that fund armed groups while addressing the poverty and economic instability that help provide a pool of recruits.
Security is expected to be a major issue in Nigeria's January elections, when President Bola Tinubu will seek a second term. The latest warning comes after another jihadist attack in Niger state last week left dozens dead and saw scores of people kidnapped.
Related story: Video - A mass kidnapping is testing Nigeria's government
Video - A mass kidnapping is testing Nigeria's government
An armed group has posted a video appearing to show hundreds of people kidnapped from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger State. Sub-Saharan Africa Lead Writer David Lewis explains why the attack is piling pressure on the government of the country.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
President Tinubu orders rescue operation after mass kidnapping at mosque
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the military and other security agencies on Tuesday to launch an immediate rescue operation after scores of people were kidnapped by gunmen in north-central Niger State last week.
An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in the state.
Reuters could not independently verify the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years.
An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attack and were buried on Sunday.
The official, who declined to be identified because she was not authorised to speak to the media, said villagers from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida were affected.
An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in the state.
Reuters could not independently verify the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years.
An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attack and were buried on Sunday.
The official, who declined to be identified because she was not authorised to speak to the media, said villagers from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida were affected.
'We will defend our people'
In its first public comments on the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
"Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu said in a statement.
Tinubu directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.
Abubakar Umar, the traditional head of Dakera community, said at least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the attack.
Obed Nana, Niger state commissioner for information, told Reuters by phone that authorities were still trying to verify the number of missing people.
"I don't want to be too speculative about it because you know how sensitive such information can be," said Nana.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways.
The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms and have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north.
In its first public comments on the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
"Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu said in a statement.
Tinubu directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.
Abubakar Umar, the traditional head of Dakera community, said at least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the attack.
Obed Nana, Niger state commissioner for information, told Reuters by phone that authorities were still trying to verify the number of missing people.
"I don't want to be too speculative about it because you know how sensitive such information can be," said Nana.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways.
The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms and have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north.
Monday, August 24, 2026
Kidnappers release video showing hundreds abducted from Nigerian mosque
Kidnappers have released a video of what appears to be a large group of people being held captive by armed men in a forested area in Nigeria.
The video emerged on Sunday, two days after gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.
The incident comes as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security likely to be high on the agenda due to a wave of mass kidnappings for ransom across the north of the country.
Dekera village residents have reported that gunmen took people away in simultaneous raids on several communities.
In the video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp and circulating widely, children can be heard crying. A gunman speaking in the Hausa language speaks directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify relatives.
“These are all your people,” the gunman says.
News agencies reported that they could not verify the exact date or location where the video was filmed. However, no older version of the video has been found posted online before Sunday.
Residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, were able to confirm the identities of some of the hostages.
“We have identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children in the video,” he said.
Police and state authorities have not responded to requests for comment.
Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Obed Nana told the Anadolu news agency that an operation is under way to “assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue of the abducted worshippers”.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs frequently raiding villages, schools and highways and holding abductees until the gangs are paid large sums of money.
Increasingly, the gunmen are targeting communities further south, beyond hot spots in the north.
As he prepares for the election, President Bola Tinubu has faced growing criticism over lax security.
The video emerged on Sunday, two days after gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.
The incident comes as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security likely to be high on the agenda due to a wave of mass kidnappings for ransom across the north of the country.
Dekera village residents have reported that gunmen took people away in simultaneous raids on several communities.
In the video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp and circulating widely, children can be heard crying. A gunman speaking in the Hausa language speaks directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify relatives.
“These are all your people,” the gunman says.
News agencies reported that they could not verify the exact date or location where the video was filmed. However, no older version of the video has been found posted online before Sunday.
Residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, were able to confirm the identities of some of the hostages.
“We have identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children in the video,” he said.
Police and state authorities have not responded to requests for comment.
Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Obed Nana told the Anadolu news agency that an operation is under way to “assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue of the abducted worshippers”.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs frequently raiding villages, schools and highways and holding abductees until the gangs are paid large sums of money.
Increasingly, the gunmen are targeting communities further south, beyond hot spots in the north.
As he prepares for the election, President Bola Tinubu has faced growing criticism over lax security.
Jihadis kidnap dozens during Friday prayers in Nigeria
Extremists attacked and abducted a number of worshippers in Nigeria's Niger State, authorities said on Saturday.
Police said the armed men attacked a number of villages in the Borgu Local Government Area before storming a mosque in the village of Kpenya during Friday prayers.
"People were abducted while praying at a Juma’at mosque on Friday," Borgu area council chair Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir told the Associated Press.
"That was when the bad people came and surrounded the mosque and took them away."
Some witnesses recounted extreme violence.
"Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group [...] in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us," one survivor told the AFP news agency. "They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practicing the true teachings of Islam."
Local residents told the AFP and Reuters news agencies that dozens of people — as many as 60 — were kidnapped.
Witnesses also told AFP that the armed men killed several people, although according to police, "the developing report indicated that no life was lost."
Police said the armed men attacked a number of villages in the Borgu Local Government Area before storming a mosque in the village of Kpenya during Friday prayers.
"People were abducted while praying at a Juma’at mosque on Friday," Borgu area council chair Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir told the Associated Press.
"That was when the bad people came and surrounded the mosque and took them away."
Some witnesses recounted extreme violence.
"Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group [...] in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us," one survivor told the AFP news agency. "They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practicing the true teachings of Islam."
Local residents told the AFP and Reuters news agencies that dozens of people — as many as 60 — were kidnapped.
Witnesses also told AFP that the armed men killed several people, although according to police, "the developing report indicated that no life was lost."
Who was responsible for the attack?
No group claimed responsibility for the attack in the day that followed and police have not identified the culprits.
One witness told AFP that the gunmen belonged to Lakurawa — an increasingly radical outfit that researchers link to the "Islamic State Sahel Province" group.
Another resident told AFP that the attackers were Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram and is now aligned with al-Qaeda.
Witnesses also said that a third, rival jihadi group known as Mahmuda clashed with the attackers and allowed some of the abductees to escape.
Although jihadi attacks have declined in Nigeria since the height of Boko Haram's insurgency last decade, the military and police remain overstretched as they face multiple, sometimes overlapping conflicts.
In addition to jihadist insurgency in the north, parts of Nigeria also face violence and kidnappings from non-ideological gangs known locally as "bandits."
No group claimed responsibility for the attack in the day that followed and police have not identified the culprits.
One witness told AFP that the gunmen belonged to Lakurawa — an increasingly radical outfit that researchers link to the "Islamic State Sahel Province" group.
Another resident told AFP that the attackers were Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram and is now aligned with al-Qaeda.
Witnesses also said that a third, rival jihadi group known as Mahmuda clashed with the attackers and allowed some of the abductees to escape.
Although jihadi attacks have declined in Nigeria since the height of Boko Haram's insurgency last decade, the military and police remain overstretched as they face multiple, sometimes overlapping conflicts.
In addition to jihadist insurgency in the north, parts of Nigeria also face violence and kidnappings from non-ideological gangs known locally as "bandits."
Friday, August 21, 2026
Families protest in Nigeria over children abducted nearly 100 days ago
The children were seized from their classrooms on May 15 in Mussa, a community on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold of Islamist militants.
The protest underscored families' frustration as kidnappings persist despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) offshoot in northeastern Nigeria. While the insurgency has weakened since its peak, both groups continue to stage attacks on civilians, schools and security forces across Borno and neighbouring states.
The abduction was followed by another attack in nearby Lassa on June 29, where 36 students and a teacher also remain captive. Last month, authorities secured the release of schoolchildren abducted by gunmen from schools in southwest Oyo state after nearly two months in captivity.
'WE WORRY EVERY DAY'
A police spokesperson said the military is "on top of the situation" but declined further comment, directing enquiries to the military. A spokesperson for the military did not respond to requests for comment.
"We still have not seen them," said Chinda Buba, whose child was among those abducted. "We do not know where our children are. We don't know whether they are healthy or going through difficult conditions."
Peace Nicolos, whose two children, aged 3-1/2 and 8-1/2, are among the missing, said families lived in constant anxiety.
"We worry every day and struggle to eat," she said. "We are pleading with the government to rescue them."
Orbet Lawan Yakubu, representing the traditional ruler of Mussa, said around 45 children remained unaccounted for.
"There is nothing more painful than separating very young children from their parents," he said. "The entire community is affected because almost every family is connected to those who were taken."
By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters
Monday, August 10, 2026
Video - Rescued Nigerian kidnap victims recount ordeal after months in captivity
Nigerian security forces this week rescued more than 300 people abducted in separate attacks in Kwara and Niger states. President Bola Tinubu described the operation as the largest same-day hostage rescue in Nigeria’s history. The victims are now receiving medical evaluation and treatment, with some recounting their ordeal after months in captivity.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Nigeria announces rescue of 308 kidnapped citizens
More than 300 people who had been kidnapped across Nigeria have been freed in an intelligence and security operation, the government has announced.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomes the successful rescue of 308 Nigerian citizens who were abducted in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states,” Bayo Onanuga, a special adviser to Nigeria’s president, said in a statement.
The statement said that 163 of those rescued were abducted from the Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, and 145 were taken from Niger State.
“The victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park Forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State”, according to the statement, as a result of a “coordinated, intelligence-driven operation”. The operation was carried out by the country’s National Counter Terrorism Centre, involving members of the armed forces, the police force and the Department of State Services.
“It was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by Nigeria’s joint security team,” the statement added.
The government in Kwara State, near the border with Benin, welcomed the rescue in a social media post, local channel Arise News reported.
“Kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, security forces, and everyone who played a role in this huge feat. We are grateful!”, said the Kwara government statement, announcing the release of those abducted during the February 3 attack on local communities in Kaiama.
At least 200 people were killed in the attack, when suspected Boko Haram-linked fighters launched a coordinated assault that lasted several hours, according to the Nigeria-based Punch website.
Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups, Boko Haram-linked fighters and gangs known as bandits has become a major crisis in Nigeria, especially in areas with little state presence.
Soft targets, including schools, churches and mosques, particularly in vulnerable rural communities with limited state security, have been particularly at risk.
On January 18, 177 people were abducted from three churches in the village of Kurmin Wali in Kaduna State.
Last month, security services freed at least 40 students and teachers kidnapped in May from the southern state of Oyo.
In June, the president announced that the military had “neutralised” more than 13,000 “terrorists” in the past year. The army also said it had rescued 360 people abducted by Boko Haram, which has spread across parts of the country from Borno State, once considered the centre of its operations.
“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives,” the president said in his latest statement.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomes the successful rescue of 308 Nigerian citizens who were abducted in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states,” Bayo Onanuga, a special adviser to Nigeria’s president, said in a statement.
The statement said that 163 of those rescued were abducted from the Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, and 145 were taken from Niger State.
“The victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park Forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State”, according to the statement, as a result of a “coordinated, intelligence-driven operation”. The operation was carried out by the country’s National Counter Terrorism Centre, involving members of the armed forces, the police force and the Department of State Services.
“It was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by Nigeria’s joint security team,” the statement added.
The government in Kwara State, near the border with Benin, welcomed the rescue in a social media post, local channel Arise News reported.
“Kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, security forces, and everyone who played a role in this huge feat. We are grateful!”, said the Kwara government statement, announcing the release of those abducted during the February 3 attack on local communities in Kaiama.
At least 200 people were killed in the attack, when suspected Boko Haram-linked fighters launched a coordinated assault that lasted several hours, according to the Nigeria-based Punch website.
Kidnapping for ransom by criminal groups, Boko Haram-linked fighters and gangs known as bandits has become a major crisis in Nigeria, especially in areas with little state presence.
Soft targets, including schools, churches and mosques, particularly in vulnerable rural communities with limited state security, have been particularly at risk.
On January 18, 177 people were abducted from three churches in the village of Kurmin Wali in Kaduna State.
Last month, security services freed at least 40 students and teachers kidnapped in May from the southern state of Oyo.
In June, the president announced that the military had “neutralised” more than 13,000 “terrorists” in the past year. The army also said it had rescued 360 people abducted by Boko Haram, which has spread across parts of the country from Borno State, once considered the centre of its operations.
“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives,” the president said in his latest statement.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Priest murdered, followed by kidnappings at Mass in Nigeria
Two violent attacks against the Catholic Church in Nigeria have been perpetrated in less than a week. A priest was killed and days later, on Aug. 2, gunmen stormed a Mass and abducted several people.
According to the Vatican agency Fides, the slain priest was Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro of the Diocese of Lokoja in Kogi state.
“With deep sorrow but with firm faith in the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” on July 30 the Diocese of Lokoja announced “the passing unto eternal glory” of Oyetoro.
Details of the murder were released by state police spokesperson and assistant superintendent Afusat Oyiza Salihu. “On July 29, 2026, around 9:30 a.m., the police received information regarding the discovery of a manʼs lifeless body along Church Road in Ajaokuta,” Salihu said.
Salihu added that police arrived quickly at the scene and confirmed that the victim “had severe machete wounds to the head.” The body was taken to ASCL Hospital, where the priest’s death was pronounced.
According to Salihu, “the investigation is ongoing,” and they are working “to apprehend those responsible.”
“Once the preliminary investigation is concluded, the case will be transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further proceedings,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the governor of Kogi state, Ahmed Ododo, condemned the killing, describing it as “an atrocious and unacceptable act,” according to Fides.
By Diego López Marina, EWTN NEWS
According to the Vatican agency Fides, the slain priest was Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro of the Diocese of Lokoja in Kogi state.
“With deep sorrow but with firm faith in the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” on July 30 the Diocese of Lokoja announced “the passing unto eternal glory” of Oyetoro.
Details of the murder were released by state police spokesperson and assistant superintendent Afusat Oyiza Salihu. “On July 29, 2026, around 9:30 a.m., the police received information regarding the discovery of a manʼs lifeless body along Church Road in Ajaokuta,” Salihu said.
Salihu added that police arrived quickly at the scene and confirmed that the victim “had severe machete wounds to the head.” The body was taken to ASCL Hospital, where the priest’s death was pronounced.
According to Salihu, “the investigation is ongoing,” and they are working “to apprehend those responsible.”
“Once the preliminary investigation is concluded, the case will be transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department for further proceedings,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the governor of Kogi state, Ahmed Ododo, condemned the killing, describing it as “an atrocious and unacceptable act,” according to Fides.
Gunmen storm a Mass
While the local Church was mourning the priestʼs death, still another incident of violence shook Nigerian Catholics.
Fides also reported that on Sunday, Aug. 2, at least seven gunmen stormed St. Joseph’s Church in Inoyi Affa, Enugu state, during the morning Mass.
The attackers abducted three people: a seminarian, a catechist, and a parishioner.
Several attendees at the Mass attempted to pursue the kidnappers but abandoned the effort upon realizing the assailants were armed and to avoid further endangering the lives of the hostages, according to Fides.
Police launched a search operation that led to the release of the catechist. However, seminarian Lawrence Chidera Igbo and a parishioner identified only as Emmanuel remain in captivity.
While the local Church was mourning the priestʼs death, still another incident of violence shook Nigerian Catholics.
Fides also reported that on Sunday, Aug. 2, at least seven gunmen stormed St. Joseph’s Church in Inoyi Affa, Enugu state, during the morning Mass.
The attackers abducted three people: a seminarian, a catechist, and a parishioner.
Several attendees at the Mass attempted to pursue the kidnappers but abandoned the effort upon realizing the assailants were armed and to avoid further endangering the lives of the hostages, according to Fides.
Police launched a search operation that led to the release of the catechist. However, seminarian Lawrence Chidera Igbo and a parishioner identified only as Emmanuel remain in captivity.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Video - Nigerian judge kidnapped from his home by unknown gunmen has been freed
Faruku Hassan Bunza, a Nigerian judge abducted from his home in Bunza town by unidentified gunmen on July 26, has been freed, police said on August 3. Kidnappings are routinely used by criminal groups in Nigeria to secure lucrative ransom payments from either the government or victims' families. The exact details of Bunza's release were not immediately clear, and the attackers remain at large.
Monday, August 3, 2026
Gunmen invade Catholic church, abduct three
Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, have invaded a Catholic Church in Enugu State and abducted a seminarian and two other worshipper. One of the victims was, however, freed some moment later.
Witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident occurred on Sunday morning at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in Affa, Udi Local Government Area of the state.
The seminarian, it was gathered, had entered the church to conduct Sunday worship alongside some worshippers when the hoodlums invaded the church.
An indigene of the community, who identified himself simply as Christopher, said although three people were initially abducted, the attackers left with two people, including the seminarian.
“The kidnappers initially abducted the seminarian, catechist, and another person in the church.
“But after they moved with the victims for a few minutes, the kidnappers asked the catechist to go back and then entered the bush with the seminarian and the other worshipper,” Christopher narrated.
Based on interviews with residents and witnesses, PREMIUM TIMES identified the abducted seminarian as Lawrence Chidera Igbo.
The other worshipper was simply identified as Emmanuel.
By Chinagorom Ugwu, Premium Times
Witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident occurred on Sunday morning at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in Affa, Udi Local Government Area of the state.
The seminarian, it was gathered, had entered the church to conduct Sunday worship alongside some worshippers when the hoodlums invaded the church.
An indigene of the community, who identified himself simply as Christopher, said although three people were initially abducted, the attackers left with two people, including the seminarian.
“The kidnappers initially abducted the seminarian, catechist, and another person in the church.
“But after they moved with the victims for a few minutes, the kidnappers asked the catechist to go back and then entered the bush with the seminarian and the other worshipper,” Christopher narrated.
Based on interviews with residents and witnesses, PREMIUM TIMES identified the abducted seminarian as Lawrence Chidera Igbo.
The other worshipper was simply identified as Emmanuel.
Video clip
PREMIUM TIMES has also seen a video clip apparently recorded shortly after the abduction.
In the clip, a man, who claimed to have witnessed the attack but did not identify himself, narrated how it happened.
“Rain was falling while we prepared for church. What we saw was that a crowd of people ran towards us, saying that our seminarian and other worshippers had been abducted from the church.
“While we were running around on how to face the problem, police operatives came and enquired of the route the kidnappers followed and we showed them and also joined them in combing the bushes.
“The kidnappers were seven and all had Ak-45. But we retreated because we had no weapons. Should we pursue armed kidnappers empty-handed?” the man narrated.
While he spoke, other residents corroborated his narrative and claimed that they were willing to confront the kidnappers but had no weapons to do so.
“We no longer feel safe in our community because of kidnappers. When we began combing the bushes, they were firing shots at us and we ran because we had no guns,” one other resident said.
The residents called on Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to assist the community in tackling frequent kidnap attacks in the area.
“We have able-bodied youths and even vigilante members, but they need to be equipped to work.
“We are begging Peter Mbah to help us,” one of them appealed.
Police speak
PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately get a comment from the police on the incident as Daniel Ndukwe, the spokesman for the police command in Enugu, did not respond to calls and a text message from our reporter on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Ndukwu, a superintendent of police, later issued a statement on Sunday afternoon, claiming that the third victim was freed after a joint team of security operatives trailed the kidnappers.
“The operatives, while closing in on the fleeing suspects, forced them to abandon one of the victims, who was immediately rescued unhurt. The assailants, however, escaped with the remaining two victims,” he said.
He further said the joint security team comprised the police, the forest guard and members of the neighbourhood watch group in the community.
PREMIUM TIMES has also seen a video clip apparently recorded shortly after the abduction.
In the clip, a man, who claimed to have witnessed the attack but did not identify himself, narrated how it happened.
“Rain was falling while we prepared for church. What we saw was that a crowd of people ran towards us, saying that our seminarian and other worshippers had been abducted from the church.
“While we were running around on how to face the problem, police operatives came and enquired of the route the kidnappers followed and we showed them and also joined them in combing the bushes.
“The kidnappers were seven and all had Ak-45. But we retreated because we had no weapons. Should we pursue armed kidnappers empty-handed?” the man narrated.
While he spoke, other residents corroborated his narrative and claimed that they were willing to confront the kidnappers but had no weapons to do so.
“We no longer feel safe in our community because of kidnappers. When we began combing the bushes, they were firing shots at us and we ran because we had no guns,” one other resident said.
The residents called on Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State to assist the community in tackling frequent kidnap attacks in the area.
“We have able-bodied youths and even vigilante members, but they need to be equipped to work.
“We are begging Peter Mbah to help us,” one of them appealed.
Police speak
PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately get a comment from the police on the incident as Daniel Ndukwe, the spokesman for the police command in Enugu, did not respond to calls and a text message from our reporter on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Ndukwu, a superintendent of police, later issued a statement on Sunday afternoon, claiming that the third victim was freed after a joint team of security operatives trailed the kidnappers.
“The operatives, while closing in on the fleeing suspects, forced them to abandon one of the victims, who was immediately rescued unhurt. The assailants, however, escaped with the remaining two victims,” he said.
He further said the joint security team comprised the police, the forest guard and members of the neighbourhood watch group in the community.
‘Intensive operation’
Mr Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has ordered the Area Commander, Oji-River, and the Head of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to further intensify ongoing operations to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
The spokesman also said Mr Giwa further ordered immediate generation of actionable human and technical intelligence in support of the operation, while activating the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to bolster the ongoing rescue efforts.
The police chief, he said, also urged residents of the community to remain calm and continue to support the police with information that will aid ongoing operations.
He assured them that every available resource was being deployed to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and prosecute the attackers.
Mr Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has ordered the Area Commander, Oji-River, and the Head of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to further intensify ongoing operations to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
The spokesman also said Mr Giwa further ordered immediate generation of actionable human and technical intelligence in support of the operation, while activating the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to bolster the ongoing rescue efforts.
The police chief, he said, also urged residents of the community to remain calm and continue to support the police with information that will aid ongoing operations.
He assured them that every available resource was being deployed to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and prosecute the attackers.
Gunmen kidnap at least 52 in overnight raid in northwest Nigeria
Kidnappings have become a major source of income for armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists in the northeast and criminal gangs known locally as "bandits."
Gunmen kidnapped at least 52 people, including children, in a weekend attack on a village and military base in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, local sources told the AFP news agency on Monday.
Kidnappings have become a major source of income for armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists in the northeast and criminal gangs known locally as "bandits."
Zamfara is one of the hardest hit states in the northwest.
The gunmen on motorcycles swept into Kasuwar Daji village in the Kaura Namoda local government area around midnight on Saturday into Sunday, first attacking a military base on the outskirts of the community, residents told AFP.
The attackers seized rifles from the base and set a military patrol vehicle ablaze before raiding the village, where they abducted dozens of people, residents said.
"Initially, they abducted more than 100 people," before letting some go, ultimately retaining 52, said Shehu Abdullahi, a resident of Kasuwar Daji whose 12-year-old daughter was among those kidnapped.
"The gunmen went from house to house, abducting many people," another resident, Ahmad Usman, told AFP, giving the same toll.
"They abducted two of my sons' wives and they also took away two teenage girls from my family."
No soldiers were suspected to have been kidnapped.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa told AFP the attackers "overpowered (a) military base stationed here in our community."
"This is not the first time these criminals are attacking our community," he added, noting a recent attack on a police station.
Army spokesman Olaniyi Osoba said troops "successfully" repelled the attack on the military base, in which the gunmen killed a soldier and a policeman and "abducted an unspecified number of residents."
Osoba's statement blamed the attack on "terrorists," a term the Nigerian government uses for a variety of armed groups.
A Zamfara police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Bandit gangs operate across swathes of rural northwest and central Nigeria where state presence is weak.
They are known to levy "taxes" on farmers, rustle livestock, raid villages and are implicated in illegal mining operations.
Gunmen kidnapped at least 52 people, including children, in a weekend attack on a village and military base in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, local sources told the AFP news agency on Monday.
Kidnappings have become a major source of income for armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists in the northeast and criminal gangs known locally as "bandits."
Zamfara is one of the hardest hit states in the northwest.
The gunmen on motorcycles swept into Kasuwar Daji village in the Kaura Namoda local government area around midnight on Saturday into Sunday, first attacking a military base on the outskirts of the community, residents told AFP.
The attackers seized rifles from the base and set a military patrol vehicle ablaze before raiding the village, where they abducted dozens of people, residents said.
"Initially, they abducted more than 100 people," before letting some go, ultimately retaining 52, said Shehu Abdullahi, a resident of Kasuwar Daji whose 12-year-old daughter was among those kidnapped.
"The gunmen went from house to house, abducting many people," another resident, Ahmad Usman, told AFP, giving the same toll.
"They abducted two of my sons' wives and they also took away two teenage girls from my family."
No soldiers were suspected to have been kidnapped.
Alhaji Ibrahim Musa told AFP the attackers "overpowered (a) military base stationed here in our community."
"This is not the first time these criminals are attacking our community," he added, noting a recent attack on a police station.
Army spokesman Olaniyi Osoba said troops "successfully" repelled the attack on the military base, in which the gunmen killed a soldier and a policeman and "abducted an unspecified number of residents."
Osoba's statement blamed the attack on "terrorists," a term the Nigerian government uses for a variety of armed groups.
A Zamfara police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Bandit gangs operate across swathes of rural northwest and central Nigeria where state presence is weak.
They are known to levy "taxes" on farmers, rustle livestock, raid villages and are implicated in illegal mining operations.
By Gavin Blackburn, EuroNews
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Pastor’s Wife and 3 Children kidnapped
Islamic terrorists, suspected to be Boko Haram or the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), abducted the wife of a pastor and their three children on Saturday, July 18, along the Maiduguri-Damasak highway in Northeast Nigeria.
The family of Pastor Moses Guguma was on its way to join him in Damasak when the gunmen stopped their vehicle.
Damasak lies in northern Borno state near the Lake Chad basin, about 100 miles from Maiduguri, the state capital. The surrounding region has experienced repeated attacks, kidnappings and displacement during Nigeria’s long-running conflict with Boko Haram and its splinter factions.
The pastor’s family was traveling in a commercial vehicle from Maiduguri to Damasak, where Pastor Guguma leads the congregation of the Church of Christ in All Nations (COCIN). The vehicle was stopped in the afternoon near a military checkpoint in Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno state.
“The gunmen ordered the pastor’s wife and her children to leave the vehicle but permitted the driver and other passengers to continue their journey because they are all Muslims,” an eyewitness told International Christian Concern (ICC). “They took the pastor’s wife and her three children to the bush, but the Nigerian army could do nothing. He said the place is close to a Nigerian Army checkpoint.”
Pastor Guguma said the trip was expected to reunite the family after days of medical treatment in the hospital. The pastor asked the public to pray for the return of his wife and children.
“My wife was sick,” the pastor said. “She just recovered, and she was discharged from the hospital, coming to my station to see me and continued the ministry. Pray for us. My wife is still recovering from the illness.”
Church members said the pastor’s wife and children were abducted because of their faith. They added that the extremists often ask for a large ransom payment or they kill anyone they’ve captured who refuses to convert to Islam. At the time of this post, no ransom has been demanded.
Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based Islamist terrorist organization formally known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad. The group seeks to overthrow Nigeria’s secular government and establish a system governed by its interpretation of Islamic law.
The United States designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013. The group has attacked churches, Christian communities, schools, government institutions, security forces, and Muslims whom it considers opposed to its ideology. Boko Haram was also responsible for the April 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno.
ISWAP traces its origin to Boko Haram’s 2015 pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State group. It later developed into a separate faction operating primarily in northeastern Nigeria and across the Lake Chad region, including areas bordering Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The United States designated ISWAP a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2018. According to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, the organization uses kidnappings, targeted killings, roadside bombs, armed assaults and hostage-taking. Its targets have included Christians, aid workers, government personnel, military forces and civilians who resist its interpretation of Islamic law.
Both Boko Haram and ISWAP are therefore internationally recognized terrorist organizations. Their violence has affected Christians, Muslims and other civilians across northeastern Nigeria, although Christian ministers, churches and families have repeatedly been selected for abduction or execution.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that Boko Haram and ISWAP continued to impose extremist religious beliefs in areas where they operate and remained responsible for serious violations against religious communities. The commission also recorded continuing abductions of pastors, worshippers, women, and children across Nigeria.
Pastor Guguma and his congregation in Damasak are praying for the return of his wife and children.
The family of Pastor Moses Guguma was on its way to join him in Damasak when the gunmen stopped their vehicle.
Damasak lies in northern Borno state near the Lake Chad basin, about 100 miles from Maiduguri, the state capital. The surrounding region has experienced repeated attacks, kidnappings and displacement during Nigeria’s long-running conflict with Boko Haram and its splinter factions.
The pastor’s family was traveling in a commercial vehicle from Maiduguri to Damasak, where Pastor Guguma leads the congregation of the Church of Christ in All Nations (COCIN). The vehicle was stopped in the afternoon near a military checkpoint in Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno state.
“The gunmen ordered the pastor’s wife and her children to leave the vehicle but permitted the driver and other passengers to continue their journey because they are all Muslims,” an eyewitness told International Christian Concern (ICC). “They took the pastor’s wife and her three children to the bush, but the Nigerian army could do nothing. He said the place is close to a Nigerian Army checkpoint.”
Pastor Guguma said the trip was expected to reunite the family after days of medical treatment in the hospital. The pastor asked the public to pray for the return of his wife and children.
“My wife was sick,” the pastor said. “She just recovered, and she was discharged from the hospital, coming to my station to see me and continued the ministry. Pray for us. My wife is still recovering from the illness.”
Church members said the pastor’s wife and children were abducted because of their faith. They added that the extremists often ask for a large ransom payment or they kill anyone they’ve captured who refuses to convert to Islam. At the time of this post, no ransom has been demanded.
Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based Islamist terrorist organization formally known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad. The group seeks to overthrow Nigeria’s secular government and establish a system governed by its interpretation of Islamic law.
The United States designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013. The group has attacked churches, Christian communities, schools, government institutions, security forces, and Muslims whom it considers opposed to its ideology. Boko Haram was also responsible for the April 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno.
ISWAP traces its origin to Boko Haram’s 2015 pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State group. It later developed into a separate faction operating primarily in northeastern Nigeria and across the Lake Chad region, including areas bordering Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The United States designated ISWAP a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2018. According to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, the organization uses kidnappings, targeted killings, roadside bombs, armed assaults and hostage-taking. Its targets have included Christians, aid workers, government personnel, military forces and civilians who resist its interpretation of Islamic law.
Both Boko Haram and ISWAP are therefore internationally recognized terrorist organizations. Their violence has affected Christians, Muslims and other civilians across northeastern Nigeria, although Christian ministers, churches and families have repeatedly been selected for abduction or execution.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that Boko Haram and ISWAP continued to impose extremist religious beliefs in areas where they operate and remained responsible for serious violations against religious communities. The commission also recorded continuing abductions of pastors, worshippers, women, and children across Nigeria.
Pastor Guguma and his congregation in Damasak are praying for the return of his wife and children.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Video - 'We're living in fear': 19 million children in Nigeria are out of school to avoid kidnappings
The 46 children and teachers that were abducted on May 15th in southwestern state of Oyo were rescued and reunited with their families on July 10th. Since the dramatic abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, Nigeria has been hit with waves of mass kidnappings from schools. 27% of children in Nigeria are out of school, one of the highest rates in the world. The threat of abduction serves as one of the biggest obstacles to children pursuing their education.
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Dozens of abducted schoolchildren and teachers rescued in Nigeria
Two months after they were abducted in southwestern Nigeria, dozens of students and teachers have been rescued, the presidency says.
In a statement on Friday, President Bola Tinubu said he was “profoundly happy” that Nigeria’s security agencies had rescued the students and teachers, 56 days after they were kidnapped from three schools in the southwestern state of Oyo.
Eight of the assailants have been arrested and an unspecified number have been killed, Tinubu added.
On May 15, 46 students and staff were kidnapped from two primary schools and one secondary school. The government has blamed the kidnappings on Boko Haram.
The youngest child taken was aged two, while the oldest was 16. One of the teachers was killed shortly after the abduction.
In a post on X, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said all of the students and teachers had been rescued.
School kidnappings have become common in Nigeria, as armed groups seek large ransoms from the government and citizens.
The situation has been worsened by a security crisis, partly fuelled by the Boko Haram rebellion in the country’s northeast. In 2024, gunmen earned more than $1.6m in ransom payments, according to SBM Intelligence.
“This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular,” Tinubu said in his statement.
“On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers.”
Prior to the May 15 attack, the majority of school kidnappings had taken place in northern Nigeria. The abductions in Oyo, in the southwest, have prompted concerns that the security crisis could be worsening.
It is not clear exactly how the students and staff were rescued, but Onanuga said there “was no quid pro quo in the rescue”.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Christopher Musa said the assailants planned to use the hostages as leverage to pressure the government to release some of their commanders from prison.
In a statement on Friday, President Bola Tinubu said he was “profoundly happy” that Nigeria’s security agencies had rescued the students and teachers, 56 days after they were kidnapped from three schools in the southwestern state of Oyo.
Eight of the assailants have been arrested and an unspecified number have been killed, Tinubu added.
On May 15, 46 students and staff were kidnapped from two primary schools and one secondary school. The government has blamed the kidnappings on Boko Haram.
The youngest child taken was aged two, while the oldest was 16. One of the teachers was killed shortly after the abduction.
In a post on X, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said all of the students and teachers had been rescued.
School kidnappings have become common in Nigeria, as armed groups seek large ransoms from the government and citizens.
The situation has been worsened by a security crisis, partly fuelled by the Boko Haram rebellion in the country’s northeast. In 2024, gunmen earned more than $1.6m in ransom payments, according to SBM Intelligence.
“This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular,” Tinubu said in his statement.
“On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers.”
Prior to the May 15 attack, the majority of school kidnappings had taken place in northern Nigeria. The abductions in Oyo, in the southwest, have prompted concerns that the security crisis could be worsening.
It is not clear exactly how the students and staff were rescued, but Onanuga said there “was no quid pro quo in the rescue”.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Christopher Musa said the assailants planned to use the hostages as leverage to pressure the government to release some of their commanders from prison.
Friday, July 3, 2026
Video - Outrage ignites in Nigeria following latest kidnapping in Borno state
At least 37 people, most of them children, remain missing after gunmen abducted them from a school in northeastern Nigeria. The attackers, believed to be from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), raided a school in Borno State on Monday. The incident has sparked outrage, with parents calling for the immediate release of their children.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
More than 30 students remain missing after Nigeria school attack
At least 37 students remain missing after gunmen raided their school in northeast Nigeria, according to local officials.
The attack occurred on Monday when assailants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group stormed a secondary school in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, which has faced years of violence by armed groups.
The AFP news agency reported on Tuesday that at least 37 students remain missing following the attack, which occurred while they were sitting exams.
At least three people were killed in the attack, including a soldier and a teacher, according to the military, who initially said that authorities had rescued 10 of them and that only one remained missing.
The “list of students in captivity”, showing the students’ genders and their parents’ mobile phone numbers, was shared with journalists by the area’s local government councillor, Ijagla Ijabila.
An intel source also showed AFP the same list.
Borno Commissioner for Education Lawan Abba Wakilbe told reporters in Lassa that 25 female students, 11 male students and one staff member were still being held, reported the Reuters news agency.
Abba Wakilbe added that eight people, including the school’s vice principal, have been freed.
Kidnapping for ransom, especially of students, has become a common tactic for both armed groups and non-ideological “bandit” gangs operating across the country’s conflict-hit north and centre.
While the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by members of Boko Haram remains Nigeria’s most infamous, school abductions continue to be prevalent across the country.
In May, gunmen kidnapped more than 40 pupils – who remain in captivity – from Borno State’s Mussa village.
That same month, armed men rounded up dozens of schoolchildren from three schools in Oyo State – a rare attack in southwest Nigeria, considered to be the safest region in the country.
Nigeria has been fighting an armed uprising since 2009, concentrated in the northeast.
While violence has waned since the peak of the conflict a decade ago, analysts have warned of an uptick in attacks since last year.
By AFP and Reuters
The attack occurred on Monday when assailants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group stormed a secondary school in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, which has faced years of violence by armed groups.
The AFP news agency reported on Tuesday that at least 37 students remain missing following the attack, which occurred while they were sitting exams.
At least three people were killed in the attack, including a soldier and a teacher, according to the military, who initially said that authorities had rescued 10 of them and that only one remained missing.
The “list of students in captivity”, showing the students’ genders and their parents’ mobile phone numbers, was shared with journalists by the area’s local government councillor, Ijagla Ijabila.
An intel source also showed AFP the same list.
Borno Commissioner for Education Lawan Abba Wakilbe told reporters in Lassa that 25 female students, 11 male students and one staff member were still being held, reported the Reuters news agency.
Abba Wakilbe added that eight people, including the school’s vice principal, have been freed.
Kidnapping for ransom, especially of students, has become a common tactic for both armed groups and non-ideological “bandit” gangs operating across the country’s conflict-hit north and centre.
While the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by members of Boko Haram remains Nigeria’s most infamous, school abductions continue to be prevalent across the country.
In May, gunmen kidnapped more than 40 pupils – who remain in captivity – from Borno State’s Mussa village.
That same month, armed men rounded up dozens of schoolchildren from three schools in Oyo State – a rare attack in southwest Nigeria, considered to be the safest region in the country.
Nigeria has been fighting an armed uprising since 2009, concentrated in the northeast.
While violence has waned since the peak of the conflict a decade ago, analysts have warned of an uptick in attacks since last year.
Related story: Gunmen abduct students during exams in Nigeria
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