Large-scale manhunt following mass abduction from mosques in Nigeria

Following bloody attacks and mass abductions in four villages in Nigeria, the West African country's security forces have launched a major manhunt, the Presidential Office said on Wednesday.

On Friday during prayers, a group of heavily armed men raided mosques in Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida and Masaka in the north-western state of Niger.

Two days later, the suspected perpetrators posted a video on social media purportedly showing dozens of abduction victims - including women, children and babies - being held captive in a forest area.

Local media reported that up to 600 people had been abducted and that there were numerous fatalities. The Presidential Office did not disclose exact casualty figures.

The military, police and intelligence services have launched a coordinated rescue operation on the instructions of President Bola Tinubu, the president's office announced.

"Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu asserted.

Mass abductions, including those of schoolchildren, are widespread in Africa's most populous country of around 240 million. The kidnappers are either jihadist terrorist militias such as Boko Haram or criminal gangs.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the four villages.