At least 2,000 residents of Dekera District in Niger State have reportedly fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following a series of attacks by gunmen last Friday, during which hundreds of people were allegedly abducted from mosques and surrounding communities, Amnesty International has said.
The rights organisation also called on President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government to urgently address what it described as the country’s worsening wave of mass abductions targeting rural communities, particularly across northern Nigeria.
Amnesty International said at least 1,100 people were abducted across the country within a three-month period from January to April 2026, warning that the scale of the crisis could be far greater than commonly reported.
According to the organisation, estimates of abductions by gunmen and other armed groups vary significantly, with many widely cited figures believed to understate the true magnitude of the problem.
The organisation said victims of abduction are frequently subjected to severe human rights abuses, including torture, starvation, rape and amputation, while some are allegedly forced to witness or participate in atrocities.
It said many of the communities now affected by the latest wave of abductions had endured repeated attacks by armed groups for several years, leaving residents increasingly vulnerable to killings, displacement and other forms of violence.
Amnesty International expressed particular concern over the situation in Borgu, which it said had faced persistent attacks and was now experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy marked by killings, mass abductions and displacement.
The organisation urged Nigerian authorities to take stronger and more decisive action to prevent further attacks, rescue those abducted and ensure that those suspected of responsibility for the atrocities are identified and brought to justice.
It also called for improved protection of vulnerable rural communities, warning that continued attacks and large-scale displacement could further deepen the humanitarian and security crisis in affected parts of Niger State and other northern communities.
Amnesty International said the Federal Government must urgently strengthen measures to protect rural populations and demonstrate greater resolve in tackling the armed groups responsible for the recurring cycle of abductions, killings and forced displacement.
The latest displacement from Dekera District has once again drawn attention to the growing insecurity confronting rural communities in northern Nigeria, where residents continue to flee their homes amid fears of renewed attacks by gunmen.
