Security forces have reportedly arrested a suspected member of the Lakurawa terrorist group linked to a series of attacks and mass abductions in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The suspect, identified as Dego, was reportedly apprehended in the western axis of Borgu amid intensified military operations against the group.
Conflict reporter, Bakatsine, disclosed the development in a post on X on Thursday, saying the suspect was allegedly connected to attacks around Dekara, where more than 500 residents were reportedly being held captive.
The reported arrest comes about two weeks after coordinated attacks on communities in the area, during which scores of residents were abducted.
According to the report, the victims included men, women and children, with worshippers reportedly taken from a mosque during Friday prayers.
Bakatsine said the arrest could provide security agencies with vital information about the terrorist group’s movements, networks and hideouts, as well as possible locations where the abducted residents were being held.
He said the priority should now be to use information obtained from the suspect to locate and safely rescue the victims.
The attacks reportedly occurred on August 21, 2026, when gunmen stormed communities in the Borgu axis, including Gidan-Zana and Kpenya.
Residents said the attackers subsequently entered a mosque in Kpenya while worshippers were gathered for Jumu’ah prayers and abducted several people.
Other communities reportedly affected included Gidan Zana, Masaka and Sabon Gida.
Although the exact number of victims remained uncertain, local accounts put the number of abducted residents at about 600.
A resident who spoke about the incident said the simultaneous attacks suggested that the operation had been carefully coordinated.
The abduction of the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara was also reported, alongside that of the Chief Imam of Dekara Central Mosque.
The attacks were reportedly preceded by demands for levies from communities and attempts to impose strict religious rules on residents. Community sources said the demands were rejected, raising fears that the attacks were carried out as retaliation.
The incident has heightened concerns over the security of rural communities in Borgu, particularly residents and worshippers considered vulnerable to attacks.
A video purportedly showing some of the abducted men and women also surfaced following the attacks. In the footage, a suspected leader of the group was reportedly seen addressing the captives and asking relatives to identify their loved ones.
The video further heightened anxiety among families whose relatives remained missing.
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The latest reported arrest is expected to assist ongoing security operations against Lakurawa in the area, particularly efforts to establish the whereabouts of the abducted residents.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the Nigerian military or the Niger State Government confirming the arrest or providing details on the number and condition of the abducted victims.
