DistantNews
Support us
🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Crime & Justice

Video shows hundreds held captive after Nigeria mosque kidnapping

From The Guardian · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • A video has emerged showing approximately 600 people, including women and children, abducted from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger State.
  • The footage, circulated on social media, depicts captives in a forest surrounded by armed men, with children heard crying.
  • Mass kidnappings for ransom are a growing problem in northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs increasingly targeting communities.

A disturbing video has surfaced, allegedly showing around 600 individuals, predominantly women and children, who were abducted from a mosque in Nigeria's north-central Niger State last week. Residents identified the captives seen in the footage, which was posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, as people seized during an attack on Dekara village.

These are all your people. We are showing you this video so that you can identify your family members, your fathers, mothers, children ‌and relatives

— GunmanA gunman in the video addresses the families of the captives, urging them to identify their relatives.

The video depicts large groups of people seated in a forested area, surrounded by armed men. The sounds of crying children can be heard in the background, underscoring the distress of the situation. A gunman speaking in Hausa addresses the families of the captives, urging them to identify their relatives among those shown.

Mass kidnappings for ransom have become a frequent occurrence in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria. Heavily armed gangs regularly raid villages, schools, and highways, holding victims until substantial sums of money are paid. While the violence was initially concentrated in the country's north, these gunmen have increasingly extended their operations southward.

The people in the video are from Dekara. I’ve identified 13 people that I know

— Ibrahim AbubakarA resident confirmed the identities of some of the captives shown in the video.

Residents who viewed the video confirmed the identities of several captives, stating that the people shown were indeed from Dekara and were taken during Friday prayers. They reported recognizing elders, relatives, wives, and children. Police and state authorities have not yet responded to requests for comment, though they had previously confirmed an attack in the area but could not verify the number of abductees. Residents are appealing to federal and state authorities for the safe release of the captives, highlighting the presence of mothers with infants and young children in the video.

We have ⁠identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children ​in the video

— Abdulmutallib Muqaddas DindiAnother resident confirmed that those in the video were seized during prayers and identified family members.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog