Five killed, two wounded as bandits attack Kaduna mosque

A deadly attack by bandits on a mosque in Kaduna State left five worshippers dead and two others injured on Friday night, according to local sources and police.

The incident occurred at Saya-Saya village, in Ikara Local Government Area of the state, around 8 p.m. when the villagers were performing their Isha’i (sunset) prayers.

Witnesses said the bandits invaded the mosque and opened fire randomly, killing five people on the spot and wounding two others.

One of the victims was identified as the head of the vigilante group in the village, who was suspected to have been targeted by the bandits.

The village head, Abdulrahman Yusuf, who confirmed the attack, said the bandits had been in the village for about three hours before they struck, mingling with the locals and buying items.

“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 also said that one of the injured people was taken to Aminu Kano Hospital for treatment, while the other was treated at a local clinic.

The acting Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Alhassan, also confirmed the incident and said that security personnel had been deployed to the area to comb the bush and fish out the perpetrators.