Residents of communities in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State have protested over the continued captivity of hundreds of people abducted on August 21. The protesters, who reside in Dekara and its neighboring communities in Borgu district, gathered at the local government headquarters in New Bussa and demanded stronger government action. Residents initially estimated that about 600 people, mostly women, children, and elderly people, had been taken. However, the president of the Borgu Youths Development Association now puts the figure at nearly 700. The incident ranks among the country’s largest mass kidnappings in recent memory, but the victims remain missing despite President Bola Tinubu ordering an immediate rescue operation. The unrest puts pressure on Tinubu’s administration as insecurity becomes a defining issue ahead of Nigeria’s January 2027 elections.