Dozens Killed, Abducted in Nigeria Jihadist Attack During Friday Prayers

Jihadists killed and abducted dozens of people during an attack that occurred during Friday prayers in Nigeria's central Niger State, according to survivors. The assault targeted the village of Dikera in the Borgu local government area.

Jibril Ahmad, a survivor, recounted that the armed group, identified as Lakuwara and comprising hundreds of men wielding rifles, knives, and machetes, began their attack shortly after the prayers concluded. He stated that the militants "massacred some of our people" and "abducted many others."

Lakuwara is a lesser-known group, with some researchers linking it to the "Islamic State Sahel Province" (ISSP), which operates in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The exact casualty figures remain unclear, as confirmed by both Ahmad and federal lawmaker Jafaru Mohammed, who also noted that the village of Binzi was affected.

Adding a layer of complexity, Ahmad explained that a second jihadist group, known as Mahmuda, intervened in the attack. This group began fighting the Lakuwara militants, which enabled some villagers to escape the unfolding violence. Nigeria has been grappling with a 17-year-old insurgency by jihadist groups, with abductions being a key tactic, most notably the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls.