Gunmen kill 16 worshippers in a Mosque in northern Nigeria
Friday December 10 2021
People stand among the damage following an attack on a mosque in the town of Gamboru in Borno state, Nigeria, January 3, 2018. The suspected gunmen attacked a Mosque in Ba’are village in Mashegu local government area of North Central Niger state, killing 16 worshippers. FILE PHOTO | REUTERS
Abuja
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has termed as heinous and condemnable act that has no place in Nigeria the killing of 16 people in a Mosque in North Central Niger state and the assassination of a Commissioner in North West Katsina state by suspected bandits.
The suspected gunmen attacked a Mosque in Ba’are village in Mashegu local government area of North Central Niger state on Thursday morning, killing worshippers. Later in the evening, they attacked and killed the Katsina State Commissioner of Science and Technology, Dr Rabe Nasir at his home.
According to reports, the worshippers were rounded up and shot at a close range while saying early morning prayers.
This unfortunate incident has caused apprehension among the members of the community, prompting mass movement of villagers out of the villages in the area.
This latest attack comes barely one month after 18 worshippers were killed in a similar incident in Mazakuka village.
“Everybody here is living in fear right now because we don’t know which village will be targeted by the attackers next,” Mallam Suleiman Musa, one of the villagers said.
Several other worshippers who sustained gunshot injuries of varied degrees during the attack are currently receiving treatment at the Kontagora General hospital.
The Niger state Commissioner of Police, Mr Monday Bala Kuryas, confirmed the incident and described the incident as unfortunate.
Kuryas reported that a Joint Security Task Force, comprising of the Army, the Police, the Civil Defence and the local Vigilante has been constituted to address the security challenge in the affected area, to safeguard people and their properties.
Police said Dr Nasir’s body was discovered in his house late on Thursday morning in Katsina.
“The Commissioner lived alone in his residence and only other person was the security guard. Some people tried to reach him on Thursday morning via a telephone call, but it went unanswered. They then went to his house and found his corpse riddled with bullets,” the police report said.
President Buhari said he is deeply anguished by the tragic killings and urged the law enforcement agencies to do a thorough investigation and bring to justice all those who are behind the crime.