Tragedy struck in Zamfara State on Friday when gunmen stormed a mosque in Yantodon Daji village, Tsafe Local Government Area, killing the Imam and four worshippers during morning prayers.
Three other people were abducted in the raid.
The State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Maikaba, who confirmed the incident, said the attackers deliberately targeted the mosque to provoke public outrage.
“We believe the bandits deployed this method just to draw attention. They have seen the reaction when a mosque was attacked in Malumfashi, Katsina State, and that is why they carried out a similar act here in Zamfara,” Maikaba told journalists.
According to him, the armed men opened fire indiscriminately on worshippers, killing five people before whisking away three others to an unknown destination.
Those killed were identified as:
Sale Dangero, 75
Mamman Yaro, 72
Malam Lawali Bataribas, 67
Malam Jafaru, a retired ASP, 68
Malam Safiyanu, 55
The abducted victims were named as Danyaye Alh. Gambo, Malam Basiru, and Ibrahim Bello.
Maikaba added that preliminary investigations traced the assault to a notorious bandit leader, Bakin Malam, and his loyalists operating around the Makera axis.
He assured residents that security operatives were already on the trail of the attackers and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.