Tragedy struck in Zamfara State on Friday morning as armed bandits launched a deadly attack on a mosque in Yandoto village, Tsafe Local Government Area, leaving no fewer than five worshippers dead and abducting several others.
Residents reported that the assailants stormed the mosque during the early morning prayers, opening fire on congregants without warning. Eyewitnesses said five worshippers were killed instantly, while many others sustained gunshot injuries.
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A local resident explained that the attackers arrived at dawn and began shooting at those inside the mosque before taking away an unspecified number of worshippers into the nearby forest.
When contacted, the Zamfara State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, stated that he had not yet received an official briefing from the Divisional Police Officer responsible for the area.
This latest assault adds to a string of violent attacks in Tsafe LGA. Barely a week earlier, armed men invaded Gidan Turbe village, also in Tsafe, where about 40 worshippers were kidnapped during dawn prayers.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, tragedy struck Kadauri village in Maru LGA on Thursday after a gold mining pit collapsed, burying scores of illegal miners. Witnesses said more than 100 people are feared dead, while at least eight bodies have so far been recovered and buried in Mekwanugga village. Some rescuers reportedly suffocated during efforts to save those trapped.
The two incidents highlight the worsening security and safety crisis in Zamfara State, where banditry and hazardous mining activities continue to endanger lives and destabilize rural communities.
