No fewer than seven people have reportedly lost their lives following an attack on worshippers in a mosque at Saya-Saya village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
According to reports, five of the victims were shot dead in the mosque by the bandits while the remaining two other victims were killed at different locations within the area.
The incident apparently happened around 8 p.m. when the villagers were performing Isha’i (sunset) prayers at a local mosque, according to local sources.
Confirming the incident, a resident of the village, Dan Asabe, stated that two other villagers who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Malam Abdulrahaman Yusuf, the village chief, confirmed the tragedy, stating the village’s vigilante leader was among those killed by the bandits inside the mosque.
“We suspected they traced him (the Vigilante boss) to the mosque to attack him. We were inside the mosque praying when they arrived and started shooting. Five people were killed at the mosque, while a driver who brought food items to the village was also killed. The other person was killed in a nearby village,” he said.
He added that security forces from Ikara town and the Palgore area arrived at the scene at 12:30 a.m., but the bandits had already fled the village.
He further stated that one of the victims with gunshot wounds was transferred to Aminu Kano Hospital for treatment.
When contacted, Mohammad Lawal Shehu, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, declined to comment, saying he would seek confirmation from the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
Mansir Alhassan, the State Police Command’s Acting Public Relations Officer, verified the event and said security forces had been dispatched to adjacent bushes to apprehend the bandits.
He further revealed that the police and other security agencies were not informed of the attack until after the attackers left the area.
He advised members of the public to always report suspicious movement within their communities to nearby security agencies at the right time.
