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No fewer than seven people have been killed as gun-wielding bandits attacked worshippers in a Mosque at Saya-Saya village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to local sources, the attackers gunned down five of the victims in the mosque, while the other two victims were killed at different locations within the area.
The daredevil bandits struck around 8 p.m. on Friday, September 1, 2023, as the villagers were observing sunset prayers (Isha’i) at a local mosque in the community.
A resident of the village, identified as Dan Asabe, said two other villagers sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Also confirming the incident, the village Head, Malam Abdulrahaman Yusuf, disclosed that one of the victims killed inside the mosque was the head of the village's vigilance group.
“We suspected they traced him (vigilante boss) to the mosque to attack him. We were inside the mosque praying when they arrived and started shooting. Five persons were killed at the mosque, while a driver who brought food items to the village was also killed. The other person was killed at a nearby village,” said Yusuf, per Daily Trust.
The village Head also said security agencies comprising soldiers and police officers from Ikara town and Palgore area arrived at the scene in the early hours of Saturday but, the bandits had already left the village before then.
Yusuf added that one of the victims injured during the attack was taken to Aminu Kano Hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Lawal Shehu, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of the state Uba Sani, declined to comment on the development when contacted.
The aide, however, said he would confirm the issue from the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
For his part, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mansir Alhassan, who confirmed the incident, said security personnel had been mobilised to nearby bushes to fish out the perpetrators.