The Niger State Government has not received any communication from the terrorists who abducted worshippers at a mosque in Borgu Local Government Area last Friday, the state Commissioner for Information, Obed Nuhu, has disclosed.
Nuhu made this known on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, saying the attack occurred at three separate locations within the area and was suspected to have been carried out by the Lakurawa and Boko Haram terrorist groups.
“No such (contact with the kidnappers) has happened. We have not had any interactions with them, but the suspicion is the Lakurawas, as they call themselves, and Boko Haram. It happened in three different locations around that kingdom,” he said.
The commissioner also said the state government could not yet confirm the number of people abducted, as officials were still working to establish the facts surrounding the incident.
He said the government would avoid speculating on the number of victims until verified information was available.
Following the attack, Governor Umaru Bago expressed concern over the incident and directed relevant authorities to collaborate with security agencies to secure the safe release of the abducted persons and restore normalcy to the affected communities.
The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of residents, assuring that efforts would continue to prevent criminal elements from disrupting peace across the state.
The state government said a joint security operation had been launched in the affected area to assess the situation, track the perpetrators and facilitate the rescue of the victims.
It added that details concerning the movement and deployment of security personnel would not be disclosed because of the sensitive nature of the ongoing operation.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed security and intelligence agencies to launch an immediate and coordinated operation to rescue the abducted worshippers.
