Video shows hundreds of people allegedly abducted during Nigeria mosque attack

A video circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp appears to show approximately 600 people held captive following an attack on a mosque in Nigeria's north-central Niger State. Residents report that gunmen launched simultaneous raids on several communities, including Dekara village, during Friday prayers last week. The footage shows large groups of women, children, and older people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men, with children heard crying in the background.

In the video, a gunman speaking in Hausa urged families to identify their relatives among the captives. Several residents have stated they recognized people from Dekara in the footage, with one resident identifying 13 known individuals. While police and state authorities confirmed an attack on worshippers in the area, they have not verified the exact number of people abducted. Reuters noted that the exact date and location of the filming could not be verified, although no older versions of the video were found online before Sunday.

Mass kidnappings for ransom are common in north-western and north-central Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently target schools, villages, and highways. While this violence was previously concentrated in the north, gunmen have increasingly moved south.