Tinubu: Terror Will Not Cow Nigeria, We’ll Defend Our People, Protect Communities

…Mourns weekend attacks as 40 are killed, over 100 abducted in Borgu communities where President holds the title “Jagaban Borgu”

By Abu Adamu
President Bola Tinubu has vowed that Nigeria will not be cowed by terrorists and criminal gangs, declaring that his administration will defend citizens, protect communities and hunt down those behind the latest mass killings and abductions in Niger State.

The President spoke against the backdrop of coordinated attacks on communities in Borgu Local Government Area, where more than 40 people were reported killed and over 100 abducted, although accounts from residents and local leaders suggest the number of people missing could be substantially higher.

The attacks carry a particularly personal resonance for Tinubu, who holds the traditional title of Jagaban Borgu, conferred on him in 2006 by the late Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro III.

Tinubu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, ordered the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and other security and intelligence agencies to immediately launch a coordinated operation to rescue those abducted and bring the attackers to justice.

“Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” the President declared.

He described those responsible for the assault as enemies of peace and humanity, warning that they would not escape justice.

“Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free,” Tinubu said.

The President directed the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular briefings on the rescue operation, insisting that efforts must continue until all those abducted are accounted for.

“You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you,” he told the affected families.

The presidential order followed reports that armed men, some dressed in military fatigues, launched coordinated attacks on Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka communities in Borgu Local Government Area on Friday, August 21.

Police said more than 40 people were killed while over 100 were initially feared abducted in the attacks.

Niger State Police Command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, said the assailants were suspected bandits, part of criminal gangs that have carried out kidnappings, killings and raids across parts of the country.

Residents said the attackers struck around the time of Friday Muslim prayers, with gunmen reportedly entering Dekara, rounding up residents and marching captives towards nearby forests before attacks spread to neighbouring communities.

Local accounts, however, put the possible scale of the abductions significantly higher than the initial official figure, with some youth leaders and survivors claiming that hundreds of people, including women, children and elderly residents, remained unaccounted for.

A video subsequently circulated on social media purporting to show a large number of captives seated in a forested location under the watch of armed men, further heightening fears over the scale of the abduction.

Local lawmaker Jafar Muhammad Shetiman Borgu also confirmed the attacks, which have intensified concerns about deteriorating security in the remote Borgu axis.

Borgu occupies a strategically difficult stretch of Niger State bordering Kebbi and Kwara states as well as the Republic of Benin, with extensive forests and difficult terrain that have provided hideouts and transit routes for armed groups.

The latest attack comes despite recent successes by security forces in freeing hundreds of hostages from the wider area.

Earlier in August, authorities announced the rescue of 308 abducted people in a major security operation, including 145 people taken from Konkoso, Kasuwan-Daji, Tungan-Makeri and Shafachi communities in the Borgu area and more than 160 abductees from neighbouring Kwara State.

The renewed attacks have, however, underscored the continuing security challenge in Niger State, where vast forested areas and isolated settlements have made sustained security coverage difficult.

Security concerns in the Borgu axis have also extended beyond conventional banditry. The wider border region has faced concerns over the activities and movement of jihadist groups operating across parts of north-western Nigeria and the borderlands.

Local officials have reported instances in which suspected jihadist fighters entered communities and attempted to impose religious restrictions, while Shetiman Borgu expressed concern that some of those involved in the latest violence could also be attempting to recruit young people.

The latest assault follows other deadly incidents in Borgu, including reports that more than 20 people were killed in the local government area the previous week.

Niger State has suffered several large-scale abductions in recent years. In November 2025, more than 200 pupils were abducted from a school in Papiri before being released about a month later.

For Tinubu, the latest violence has an additional historical connection because of his longstanding relationship with Borgu.

The President was conferred with the title of Jagaban Borgu on 26 February 2006, by the late Emir Haliru Dantoro III. Tinubu and the late traditional ruler had reportedly developed a close relationship dating back to their time in the Senate during Nigeria’s Third Republic in the early 1990s.

His wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, now First Lady, was also honoured at the ceremony with the title Yun Bana Jagaban of Borgu.

The title “Jagaban Borgu” has since become closely associated with Tinubu’s political identity, although its origin lies in the traditional institution of Borgu.

Yesterday, the President said the Federal Government would stand firmly behind Niger State and the communities affected by the latest violence.

Tinubu extended condolences to families of those killed, describing the attack as barbaric.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who were killed in this barbaric assault and pray that Almighty God grant them eternal rest, and grant their loved ones the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” he said.

He assured the Niger State Government that the Federal Government would provide the support required for rescue, recovery, and reinforcement of security in vulnerable communities.

“My prayers are with the people of Niger State at this difficult time. The Federal Government stands firmly with the State Government and will provide all necessary support to aid recovery, relief, and security reinforcement,” Tinubu said.