Bandits attack Mosque in Kadunal, kill Imam, others

Bandits launched an assault on a mosque located in Ga Allah Babba village, near Sabon Layi within the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, resulting in the tragic deaths of the mosque’s chief imam and two other worshippers. Two additional worshippers sustained injuries during the attack.

Despite the absence of official confirmation from the state’s law enforcement agencies, a community leader named Zubair Abdurrauf provided an account to Channels Television. According to him, the incident unfolded during the early hours of Tuesday as Muslim worshipers gathered for their morning prayers.

Abdurrauf explained that the bandits, who were en route from Zamfara State through the Kamuku forest near Kuriga village, encountered the worshippers as they engaged in their early morning prayers. Without hesitation, the bandits sealed off the mosque and unleashed a volley of gunfire upon the worshipers. This horrifying assault claimed the lives of the mosque’s chief imam and two other individuals.

Additionally, Abdulrauf revealed that two injured worshipers, in critical condition, were promptly transported to the Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital for medical treatment.

Expressing deep concern over the persistent bandit attacks afflicting many communities in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government, Abdulrauf urged the governors of the northwest region to establish an immediate joint security task force. This task force would unite both conventional security agencies and local vigilantes to effectively eradicate the bandits from their hideouts.

“The attack took place at Ga Allah Babba of Sabon Layi, an agrarian community in the western part of Birnin-Gwari. These are areas neighbouring the Kamuku National Park and the Kuyebana forest in Zamfara and Niger States,” he stated.

“The imam of a mosque and two other worshippers were killed. it occurred around 5 am on tuesday. two other worshippers who sustained life-threatening injuries are at the Jibrin Maigwari General Hospital, Birnin-Gwari.

“Bandits attack Birnin-Gwari communities almost daily, killing and abducting residents, especially farmers. the situation is more worrisome on the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway and has become a nightmare for travellers and other road users.

“I am calling on the governors in the North-West zone to come together and immediately set up a security task force that will include the military, police and local vigilante groups like were done in Borno State where the civilian JTF worked closely with the security agencies to fight the Boko Haram terrorists. This is the only way we can deal with the issue of banditry in the north west zone, if not we are finished.”