The Mercy Helpline Initiative (MHI) is deeply concerned and outraged by the coordinated attacks and mass abduction of civilians in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday, 21 August 2026.
Armed groups attacked several communities, including areas around Dekara, Gidan-Zana, Kpenya, Sabon Gida and neighbouring villages, during and after Jumu’ah prayers. According to reports from residents, local sources and the police, dozens of people were killed and over 100 others — including women, children and elderly residents — were abducted. A video circulating since 23 August appears to show a large number of captives, among them children and older persons.
These are not mere statistics. They are mothers, fathers, grandparents and children forcibly taken from their homes and places of worship. Children who should be in school or playing safely are instead exposed to trauma, hunger, disease and fear.
MHI is particularly alarmed by the vulnerability of the abducted during the rainy season. Heavy rains and flooding increase the risks of exposure, illness, starvation and lack of medical care for those held in forests or makeshift camps. Children and the elderly face the greatest danger. Every day of delay heightens these risks.
The children and vulnerable persons abducted in Borgu are civilians. They are not combatants. They deserve safety, dignity and a future free from violence.
MHI therefore calls on the Federal Government and the Niger State Government to:
Intensify and prioritise rescue operations immediately, deploying all necessary resources to secure the safe and unconditional release of all abducted persons, with special attention to children and the elderly.
Provide regular, transparent updates to the families of the missing so that they are not left in prolonged agony and uncertainty.
Strengthen protection for communities in Borgu and other vulnerable areas of Niger State, addressing the root drivers of insecurity, including banditry, arms proliferation and ungoverned spaces.
Ensure that perpetrators are identified and brought to justice in accordance with the law, to deter future attacks.
The right to life and human dignity is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution. The people of Niger State, and especially the children and families affected by this atrocity, deserve concrete action, not silence or delay.
MHI stands in solidarity with the victims, their families and the affected communities. We urge all relevant authorities to act with urgency and compassion.
Every life matters. Every child deserves to come home safely. Every community deserves peace.
Signed
Samuel Solomon
Executive Director
Mercy Helpline Initiative (MHI)
For media enquiries:
Mercy Helpline Initiative (MHI)
📞 +234 806 127 3237
📧 mercyhelplineinitiative@gmail.com
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