Bandits kidnap over 30 worshippers in fresh attack

Bandits kidnapped no fewer than 30 worshippers from one of the mosques in Tsafe town, the headquarters of Zamfara’s Tsafe Local Government Area.

An indigene of the region simply named Garba told newsmen that the bandits broke into the mosque about 5 a.m. on Thursday, just as people were preparing to begin their morning prayers.

Garba said, ”We were about to start the morning prayer today, Thursday, when suddenly they (bandits) entered the mosque and directed everybody to go out and follow them.

“Everybody scampered for safety, but the bandits blocked everywhere and warned us that they would kill anybody who tried to run away.

“I was able to jump out of the window and run quickly into one of the uncompleted buildings near the mosque, where I hid myself.”

Garba claimed that the criminals left their motorcycles far away from the mosque so that attendees wouldn’t detect their presence.

“They came on foot, leaving their motorcycles outside the town so that they would not attract the attention of the people of the area.

“They later marched the worshippers to their motorcycles and took them to the forest,” he added.

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According to Garba, the number of abducted worshippers could exceed 30.

He added that “the mosque was full to capacity when the bandits attacked the place, and very few of us were able to escape.”

One of the community leaders who spoke with newsmen on the condition of anonymity said members of the Community Protection Guards are on the lookout for the robbers in order to rescue the kidnapped worshippers.

Tsafe Local Government is one of the state’s most banditry-prone districts.

The 56-kilometre Tsafe-Gusau Road has become the state’s most dangerous region, with individuals being kidnapped on a daily basis.

Many bandits lost their lives a few days ago within the local government when two rival groups clashed.