Lakurawa Kidnaps Dozens in Niger State, Planting Landmines After Mosque Raid

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 22

Dozens of people were seized after Lakurawa fighters attacked Kpenya Mosque and nearby villages in Niger State on Friday, with residents putting the number of abductees at more than 60 while police said the toll was still unconfirmed.
Hundreds of gunmen armed with guns, knives and machetes stormed Gidan-Zana and Kpenya before raiding worshippers after Friday prayers, survivors said, in what residents described as a mass-abduction operation.
Mahmuda fighters clashed with the attackers during the assault, helping some captives escape, while a joint security detachment was later deployed for assessment and rescue operations.
Saturday brought more danger as residents said the group returned to seize additional hostages and planted landmines on roads out of Dekara; one fleeing family was reportedly killed when its car hit a mine.
Niger State, near the Benin border, has seen rising activity by armed groups, and mass kidnappings have become a lucrative tactic across Nigeria's northwest and central regions.