Dozens abducted in Nigeria during Friday prayers
Armed attackers raided the villages of Gidan-Zana and Kpenya in Nigeria’s Niger State and abducted dozens of people. Deutsche Welle reports, citing AFP and Reuters. Local residents told the agencies that up to 60 people may have been abducted.
Attack on a mosque
According to police, the attackers raided two villages, including Gidan-Zana and Kpenya, and then stormed a mosque in Kpenya during Friday prayers.
One survivor told AFP that a large group of armed men attacked residents after the prayer ended. According to him, the attackers had firearms, knives and machetes.
Witnesses also told AFP that several people were killed during the attack. At the same time, police said preliminary information does not indicate any fatalities.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Responsibility not confirmed
Police have not confirmed which group was behind the attack. One witness told AFP that the attackers may have been members of the Lakurawa group, which researchers link to Islamic State Sahel Province.
Another resident told AFP that the attack was carried out by Ansaru, a group that split from Boko Haram and is now linked to al-Qaeda. According to eyewitnesses, another jihadist group known as Mahmuda clashed with the attackers, allowing some of the abducted people to escape.
In Nigeria, in addition to jihadist groups in the country’s north, non-ideological armed gangs known locally as “bandits” operate. According to DW, the country’s military and police are countering several conflicts simultaneously.
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