Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Dec 5: In the most recent attack by armed gangs in the north of the country, gunmen in Nigeria killed a dozen worshippers, among them an imam, and kidnapped a number of others from a mosque on Saturday night, locals said on Sunday.
Armed gangs, sometimes known as bandits, strike at vulnerable villages, killing residents or kidnapping them for ransom. In order to be permitted to farm and harvest their crops, the gangs also demand that the villagers pay protection fees.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of Katsina resident Lawal Haruna told Reuters by phone that the gunmen rode up to Maigamji mosque on motorcycles and began shooting erratically, forcing worshippers to flee.
About 12, who were attending night prayers, were caught in the gunfire and killed, including the chief imam, said Haruna.
The incident was confirmed by the spokesman for the Katsina state police, Gambo Isah, who also reported that several worshippers had been saved by state-backed vigilantes with some local backing.
A number of states in Nigeria’s northwest share a border with neighbouring Niger, allowing gangs to freely travel between the two nations. Katsina is one of these states.
The military of Nigeria has been bombing bandit camps in the bush, but the attacks continue, increasing concerns about the security of voters who will cast ballots in February to determine Buhari’s successor.
