More than 100 people have been abducted in attacks on several villages in Nigeria’s central Niger State, police and residents have told the BBC.
The attackers, who were reportedly wearing military-style clothing, targeted communities in the Borgu Local Government Area after Fridayprayers.
Police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said more than 40 people were also killed in the attacks on Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka villages.
He said authorities suspect the attackers were bandits – criminal gangs involved in kidnapping and looting for ransom across parts of Nigeria.
Residents said the gunmen entered Dekara after prayers, gathered people and took them into nearby forests before moving on to neighbouring villages.
Local lawmaker Jafar Muhammad Shetiman Borgu confirmed the attacks had taken place to the BBC.
The attacks come as armed groups have increased their activities in the remote Borgu area, which borders Kebbi and Kwara states as well as Benin.
These latest attacks are separate from an earlier series of abductions in the same area.
Earlier this month, police said 145 people had been rescued after being abducted from four villages in Borgu – Konkoso, Kasuwan-Daji, Tungan-Makeri and Shafachi.
They were among 308 people the authorities said been rescued in a major security operation, including more than 160 people abducted in neighbouring Kwara State.
The attacks highlight the continuing security challenges in Niger State and across north central Nigeria, where armed groups have exploited remote forests and weak security presence to carry out raids and kidnappings.
The Borgu area has also been linked to the activities of Jihadist groups operating in parts of north-western Nigeria and across the border region.
Local officials say Jihadist fighters have in recent months entered communities and imposed religious restrictions.
Shetiman said the latest attacks had raised fears that some of the gunmen may be trying to recruit young people.
The security situation has remained particularly serious in Borgu.
Last week, more than 20 people were killed in the local government area, according to local officials.
In November 2025, gunmen also abducted more than 200 pupils from a school in Papiri, in Niger State. The children were released about a month later.
Despite repeated military and police operations, large parts of Niger State remain difficult for security forces to access, allowing armed groups to operate from forested areas and carry out attacks on isolated communities.
By BBC News
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