Suspected bandits attacked a mosque and killed seven Muslims at Saya-Saya village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna state on Friday, September 1.
According to reports, the worshippers were observing their Isha’i (Sunset) prayers in the mosque when the gunmen came to attack them.
Five of the victims were gunned down in the mosque, while two other victims were killed at different locations within the area.
Confirming the incident, the village Head, Malam Abdulrahaman Yusuf, said the head of the vigilante in the village was among the victims killed inside the mosque.
“We suspected they traced him (vigilante boss) to the mosque to attack him. We were inside the mosque praying when they arrived and started shooting. Five persons were killed at 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
He said security agencies comprising soldiers and police from Ikara town and Palgore area arrived at the scene around 12:30am, but by then, the bandits had already left the village.
Confirming the incident, the acting Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mansir Alhassan, said security personnel had been mobilized to nearby bushes to fish out the perpetrators. According to him, the police and other security agencies were not informed on the attack until after the attackers left the area.