Niger Residents Protest Again Over Hundreds Still Missing After Mass Kidnapping

Residents of Niger State have renewed calls for urgent action to rescue hundreds of people they say remain in captivity, one month after a mass kidnapping in the state.

Residents of Dekara and neighbouring communities in Borgu District staged a protest on Monday at the headquarters of Borgu Local Government Area in New Bussa, demanding answers over the fate of their relatives.

The communities said about 600 people were abducted during attacks on August 21, with women, children and elderly residents reportedly among those taken by the gunmen.

A community youth leader has since put the estimated number of captives at nearly 700. However, the figure has not been independently verified.

President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to launch a rescue operation shortly after the attacks, but the abducted residents have yet to be recovered.

Niger State authorities have said security agencies have been mobilised and that efforts to locate and rescue the victims are ongoing.

Residents, however, say the prolonged insecurity has had a wider impact on daily life, restricting movement and disrupting access to markets, healthcare and other essential services.

One month after the attacks, the whereabouts of the abducted residents remain unclear. Their families and communities are continuing to demand urgent intervention and concrete information from the authorities.

For the families affected, the crisis remains unresolved until their loved ones are found and safely returned home.