By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has demanded an immediate and coordinated security operation to rescue hundreds of worshippers and residents abducted during the deadly attack on Kpenya Mosque and adjoining communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The forum also urged the Federal Government to urgently reinforce security in Borgu and other vulnerable border communities, warning that the scale of the attack exposed serious gaps in the protection of rural settlements in the North-Central region.
Chairman of the NSF, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday while condemning the attack on Kpenya Mosque and the communities of Gidan-Zana and Kpenya in Dekara District of Borgu LGA.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, August 22, reportedly resulted in the abduction of hundreds of worshippers and residents, while some people were also killed.
The reported use of landmines in the affected communities has further complicated the security situation, with concerns that the devices could endanger residents attempting to flee as well as security personnel deployed to conduct rescue operations.
The NSF expressed particular concern over reports that some of the abducted victims could be held as bargaining chips by the attackers, raising fears of prolonged captivity and further danger to the victims.
Yar’Adua described the assault as a “barbaric, cowardly and unacceptable” attack on innocent citizens, particularly because worshippers were reportedly targeted inside a mosque.
“This barbaric act has left us deeply shocked and saddened,” he said, while commiserating with the government and people of Niger State and the families of those reportedly killed or abducted.
He said the deliberate targeting of worshippers and residents of largely defenceless rural communities was not only a security threat but an assault on the values of humanity and faith.
The senator therefore called on the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other relevant security agencies to intensify rescue operations and ensure that every abducted citizen was safely recovered.
“We therefore call on the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and all relevant security agencies to intensify ongoing rescue operations and ensure the immediate and safe release of all those abducted,” he said.
The NSF also called for the immediate deployment of additional security personnel and operational resources to Borgu and other vulnerable communities, particularly those located along border areas that could provide access routes for armed groups.
According to the forum, strengthening the security presence in such communities would not only help protect residents but also improve security agencies’ capacity to respond quickly to attacks and prevent attackers from retreating into difficult-to-access areas.
Yar’Adua said the latest incident should serve as a warning that existing security arrangements in parts of Niger State and the wider North-Central region required urgent reassessment.
He called for a comprehensive review of the security architecture, with particular attention to intelligence gathering, early warning systems, rural surveillance and the protection of communities that remain far from major security formations.
The NSF chairman said armed groups were increasingly exploiting security gaps in vulnerable and border communities, making it imperative for the government to develop a more coordinated and intelligence-driven approach to securing the region.
He stressed that security agencies must improve intelligence collection and information sharing to identify threats before attackers descend on communities.
The senator also urged the Federal Government to provide immediate relief and medical assistance to victims of the attack and residents whose homes and livelihoods may have been affected.
He said families of the abducted and deceased should not be left to bear the consequences of the attack alone, calling for appropriate government intervention while security agencies pursue the perpetrators and rescue the victims.
The forum’s intervention comes amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of rural communities in parts of the North-Central region to attacks, abductions and other forms of criminality.
For the NSF, the Borgu attack goes beyond another isolated security incident, particularly because of the reported number of people abducted and the alleged targeting of worshippers in a place of worship.
The forum maintained that the immediate priority should be the safe recovery of the abducted citizens, followed by sustained measures to secure affected communities and prevent a recurrence.
Yar’Adua assured the people of Niger State that northern lawmakers would continue to engage the Presidency and state governments on measures to restore peace and strengthen security across the region.
“The Northern Senators Forum stands in full solidarity with the people of Niger State,” he said.
He reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to work with the Presidency and state governments “to restore peace, protect lives, and uphold the dignity of our people across Northern Nigeria and the country at large.”
The senators’ call places renewed pressure on the Federal Government and security agencies to demonstrate their capacity to respond decisively to large-scale attacks in rural communities, particularly in areas where difficult terrain and porous borders can complicate security operations.
The NSF said the government must ensure that the Borgu incident does not become another unresolved case of mass abduction, insisting that the safe return of the victims and restoration of confidence among affected communities should be treated as an urgent national security priority.
