Video purports to show 600 taken in Nigeria mosque raid

An armed group has released video footage that local residents say shows around 600 women, children, and elderly people taken during an attack on a mosque in north-central Nigeria.

The video, posted on social media on Sunday, shows large groups of people sitting in a forested area, surrounded by armed men. The sound of crying children can be heard in the background.

The footage surfaced two days after gunmen attacked worshippers at a mosque in Dekara village during Friday prayers. Residents say the raid was part of coordinated attacks on several communities in the area.

Police have confirmed an attack on worshippers but have not verified the number of people taken. Authorities have not yet responded to requests for comment on the video.

In the footage, a gunman speaking in Hausa addresses the families of the captives, urging them to identify their relatives among the people shown. He says the video is meant to help families recognise their loved ones.

A resident named Jamilu Ibrahim has appealed to federal and state authorities to secure the release of the captives, noting that many of those shown are mothers with infants and young children.

Mass kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed gangs frequently raid villages, schools, and highways.