Armed bandits have attacked a mosque in Marnona village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing one worshipper and abducting several others.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday during Subh (dawn) prayers, when the assailants stormed the mosque and opened fire on the congregants. Witnesses said the sudden attack caused panic, with worshippers scattering in different directions in a desperate bid to escape.
According to local sources, the gunmen shot indiscriminately, killing one person on the spot, injuring others, and whisking away an undisclosed number of worshippers to an unknown location.
The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai could not be reached for official confirmation.
However, the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isah Sadeeq Achida, condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and an act of cowardice.”
He said the deliberate targeting of innocent worshippers in a place of peace and devotion was a sign of moral bankruptcy on the part of the attackers.
He revealed that the bandits were planning to establish a base in the area with a view to launching attacks on neighbouring villages.
Achida assured that the state government, in collaboration with security agencies, was intensifying efforts to tackle banditry in all its forms.
He extended condolences to the family of the deceased and prayed for the safe return of those abducted as well as the quick recovery of the injured.
Security operatives have since been deployed to the area, while search and rescue operations for the abducted worshippers are underway.
