Three worshippers have been killed and several others abducted after some suspected bandits in their numbers invaded a mosque in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Although security agencies and government officials in the state are yet to confirm the incident, residents, told Channels Television that the bandits raided the mosque on Thursday at about 8:00 pm.
According to a resident who spoke under the condition of anonymity, four other worshippers were equally wounded as a result of the attack which lasted for hours.
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Upon their arrival on motorcycles, the hoodlums were said to have opened fire on the faithful while deeply performing the fifth daily prayer otherwise known as “Isha’i”.
“The hoodlums later proceeded to the Kankara town and kidnapped a man and two other women.
“They (hoodlums) also butchered another person mercilessly for refusing to go with them,” he narrated.
Northwest and central Nigeria have been plagued by gangs of criminals who stage deadly raids on villages and kidnap residents for ransom.
Though driven by financial gain, there are concerns among officials and analysts about their growing ties with jihadists waging a 14-year insurgency in the northeast.
Militia members said they had redeployed from battling jihadists to help fight the gangs near Nigeria’s northwestern border with Niger Republic.
