Families of Dekera abduction wait for answers as government response stalls

Gunmen attacked the north-central Nigerian villages of Dekera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida on August 22, killing dozens and abducting roughly 600 residents, primarily women, children and the elderly. Local accounts estimate at least 40 fatalities, while the exact number of hostages remains unconfirmed. Families such as Isa Zaki, who has ten relatives among the captives, and civil servant Habibu Salihu, whose sister, her husband and three children were taken, report no communication from the kidnappers and limited assistance from authorities.

Soldiers have occupied the town, but many homes are burned and residents are left homeless and hungry. President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to conduct rescue operations, yet a Niger state police spokesperson says no update is available. Analysts suspect a breakaway faction of Boko Haram may be involved, though no group has claimed responsibility.