Bandits kill at least 50 in attack on Nigerian mosque, village raids

At least 30 people have been killed in an attack on a mosque in northwestern Nigeria, with another 20 reportedly killed in nearby villages, according to local residents and officials. The assault took place on Tuesday in Unguwar Mantau, a town in Katsina state’s Malumfashi district, during early morning prayers.

A conflict monitoring group initially put the toll at 13, but local resident Nura Musa told AFP the figure had since risen. “Nine worshippers were killed on the spot and many others died in the course of the day. The latest toll stands at 32,” he said on Wednesday. A lawmaker, Aminu Ibrahim, told the Katsina House of Assembly that 30 people had been killed, with 20 more burnt alive in attacks on surrounding villages.

Why was the mosque targeted?

Residents said the killings may have been a reprisal after local vigilantes ambushed a bandit gang at the weekend. Musa said the vigilantes, who regularly patrol villages against raids, had gone to the mosque at dawn after finishing their night watch.

“As they were praying, the bandits launched a surprise attack on the mosque. They opened fire on worshippers and fled,” he said.

The bandits also attacked other nearby towns and kidnapped “several people”, Musa said.

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The roots of Nigeria’s banditry crisis

Criminal gangs, locally called “bandits,” have for years preyed on rural communities in Nigeria’s northwest and centre. What began as disputes between herders and farmers over land and water has escalated into organised crime, with groups engaging in cattle rustling, kidnappings and the extortion of farmers.

Authorities in Katsina and neighbouring states have struck peace deals with some groups, but such truces have frequently collapsed. Bandits often retain their weapons, use agreements to create safe havens, and continue attacks in areas outside the deals. In Kaduna state’s Birnin Gwari, violence eased after a truce in November, but Katsina and Niger states have seen worsening conditions.

“The situation has become unbearable. Our people can no longer live in their villages because of these relentless attacks,” Ibrahim said.

With inputs from AFP