Bandits in large numbers invaded a mosque at Saya-Saya village in Ikara local government area of Kaduna State and killed five worshippers.
The incident happened on Friday night when the Muslim worshippers were observing their Isha’i (Sunset) prayers in a local mosque in the area.
According to sources, five worshippers including a vigilante leader were gunned down by the bandits in the mosque during praying session.
Two other victims were killed by the bandits in other parts of the village, the source, who preferred anonymity disclosed.
Meanwhile, the Village Head of the community, Abdulrahaman Yusuf, confirmed the attack.
He said the vigilante leader was trailed to the mosque where he and other victims were shot and killed.
“We suspected they traced the vigilante leader to the mosque to attack him. We were inside the mosque praying when they arrived and started shooting. Five persons were killed in the mosque, while a driver who brought food items to the village was also killed. The other person was killed at a nearby village,” he said.
Yusuf added that security has been beefed up in Ikara LGA following the bandit attack.
This was just as he said that one of the victims with gunshot wounds was rushed to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano State and responding to treatment.
“Security agencies comprising soldiers and police from Ikara town and Palgore area arrived at the scene around 12:30am, saying that by the time the security agents came, the bandits had already left the village,” he added.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Alhassan, also confirmed the attack to our correspondent on telephone on Saturday.
He confirmed that police personnel had been mobilized to comb nearby bushes with the view to fish out perpetrators of the dastarly act.
Alhassan also used the opportunity to call on the public to report any suspicious movement or the presence of strange faces within their vicinities for prompt response by the Police Force.
He blamed the unfortunate incident on the community who failed to inform the police of the presence of the bandits in good time in order to foil the attack.
According to him, the bandits were spotted in the village while on surveillance earlier in the day but none of the villagers could alert the appropriate security agency before the hoodlum struck in the night.
“The Command is not happy with the situation,” he said, while adding that “the bandits went to the village around 4pm, buying things from the villagers. Seeing strange faces, the villagers are supposed to communicate with the police in the area.
“The Commissioner of Police is drawing the attention of the public that whenever they see strange faces, they should alert security agencies that are close to them. The public should assist the police in giving them prompt information for quick response.”
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