Tragedy struck in Zamfara State on Friday as gunmen invaded a mosque in Yantodon Daji village, Tsafe Local Government Area, killing an Imam and four worshippers during morning prayers.

Naijaonpoint reports that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Maikaba, who confirmed the incident, said the assailants also abducted three people in the raid.

Speaking to journalists, Maikaba explained that the attackers deliberately chose a mosque to provoke outrage.

He said, “We believe the bandits deployed this method of operation just to draw the attention of the public. They have witnessed the reactions of the public when a mosque was attacked in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State and that is why they did it here in Zamfara.”

According to him, the gunmen stormed the mosque while worshippers were observing morning prayer and opened fire indiscriminately.

“They invaded the mosque when worshippers were conducting morning prayer and started shooting sporadically, thereby killing the Imam and four other people. They also abducted three persons and took them to an unknown destination,” Maikaba added.

The CP gave the names of the deceased as:

Sale Dangero, 75

Mamman Yaro, 72

Malam Lawali Bataribas, 67

Malam Jafaru, a retired ASP, 68

Malam Safiyanu, 55

Those abducted were identified as Danyaye Alh. Gambo, Malam Basiru, and Ibrahim Bello.

Maikaba further disclosed that preliminary investigations had traced the assault to a notorious bandit leader.

“It was traced further and confirmed that the bandits’ kingpin, Bakin Malam, and his loyalists of the Makera axis were responsible for this attack,” he said.

The police commissioner assured residents that security operatives were on the trail of the attackers and promised that those behind the killings would be brought to justice.