…‘Violence pushing toward a humanitarian crisis’ – Local leaders, security experts
Thirteen worshippers were killed yesterday when bandits attacked a mosque during dawn (Fajr) prayers, in Unguwan Mantau, Malumfashi local government area of Katsina State.
Witnesses said the attackers, who rode in on motorcycles, surrounded the mosque, blocked the doors and opened fire on worshippers in cold blood.
The State’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed the incident, describing it as a reprisal assault following an earlier clash in which villagers ambushed and killed several bandits.
Security forces, including the Nigerian Army and Police, have since been deployed to the area to restore order and pursue the attackers. Mu’azu said Government would not relent in its efforts to tackle banditry, stressing that measures were underway to bring those responsible to justice.
“We are working towards bringing the bandits to book”, he stated, while commending the villagers’ courage in resisting criminal gangs.
The attack comes amid rising insecurity in Katsina, where rural communities face repeated assaults by armed groups. Analysts warn that the violence, especially during the farming season, risks displacing more residents and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Local leaders and security experts warn that the violence, especially during the farming season, is displacing farmers and pushing the state toward a humanitarian crisis.
Observers say the killings underscore the urgent need for stronger government action to end the cycle of bloodshed and protect vulnerable communities.
