Thirteen worshippers were killed on Tuesday morning when gunmen stormed a mosque in Unguwan Mantau village, Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, opening fire during dawn (Fajr) prayers.
The attackers reportedly entered the mosque around 5 a.m., shooting indiscriminately at the congregation.
Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed the incident, describing it as a possible reprisal for a recent clash in which villagers ambushed a bandit group, killing several of them, rescuing kidnap victims and seizing weapons.
“The victims were observing prayers when the criminals started shooting sporadically,” Mu’azu said. He added that troops from the army, police, and air force had been deployed to restore calm.
Authorities noted that during the rainy season, criminal groups often exploit tall crops to conceal movements and launch surprise assaults.
The state government praised the courage of residents resisting bandit incursions but urged closer coordination with security forces to prevent further violence. Additional reinforcements have been promised to farming communities deemed vulnerable.
Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, has in recent years become one of the epicentres of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West. Armed groups there routinely carry out mass abductions, deadly raids, and extortion despite ongoing military operations.
