Nigeria: Gunmen kills at least a dozen worshippers, abduct others in mosque

Gunmen in Nigeria’s Katsina state killed at least a dozen worshippers in a mosque including the chief iman after they opened fire and subsequently abducted several others on late Saturday, the police said on Sunday. The incident occurred at a mosque located in Maigamji village where gunmen reportedly arrived on motorbikes during evening prayers and started sporadically shooting, prompting the people to flee. They carried out abduction after shooting and wounding the imam and another worshipper. The state police also said that several people who were kidnapped were later rescued with the help of some locals. Notably, this is the latest attack by armed gangs, also known as bandits, who earlier killed and kidnapped people demanding ransom. The Katsina state police spokesperson, Gambo Isah confirming the attack, said that several worshippers were rescued with the help of some residents. It is pertinent to mention here that the Nigerian state has a border with the neighbouring nation of Niger, allowing bandits to freely travel between the two countries. These gangs raid steal cattle, kidnap for ransom and burn homes after looting supplies. Additionally, they have also demanded that the locals pay a protection fee in order to be permitted to produce and harvest their crops. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.