At least five worshippers were shot dead on Friday when armed bandits attacked a mosque during early morning prayers in Yandoto village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Witnesses said the assailants stormed the mosque and opened fire indiscriminately, killing five people instantly and injuring several others.
An unspecified number of worshippers were also abducted before the attackers fled into the nearby forest.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the assault as “barbaric and inhuman,” adding that some of the wounded are receiving treatment and responding to care.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said he had not yet been briefed about the incident by the Divisional Police Officer in the area.
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The attack comes barely a week after gunmen abducted about 40 worshippers during dawn prayers in Gidan Turbe, also in Tsafe LGA.
Meanwhile, in a separate tragedy, more than 100 illegal miners are feared dead following the collapse of a gold pit in Kadauri village, Maru Local Government Area of the state.
Sources said the pit caved in on Thursday, trapping scores of miners underground. Rescue efforts reportedly worsened the situation, as several rescuers suffocated during the operation.
So far, eight bodies have been recovered, all residents of Mekwanugga village. The remains have been taken back to the community for burial rites.
