At least five worshippers were killed and several others abducted on Friday morning when armed bandits stormed a mosque in Yandoto village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, during early morning prayers.
Residents said the gunmen invaded the mosque while prayers were ongoing and opened fire indiscriminately, killing five people instantly and injuring many others.
The assailants reportedly abducted an unspecified number of worshippers before retreating into the surrounding forests.
One resident told journalists the attackers arrived around dawn and began shooting at those inside the mosque.
When contacted, Zamfara Police Command spokesperson DSP Yazid Abubakar said he had not yet been briefed on the incident by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.
The attack is the latest in a string of assaults on places of worship in Tsafe LGA. Barely a week ago, gunmen stormed Gidan Turbe village, also in Tsafe, and abducted about 40 worshippers during dawn prayers.
Mine collapsed, 100 people feared dead
In a separate tragedy, more than 100 illegal miners are feared dead after a gold pit collapsed on Thursday in Kadauri village, Maru LGA. Witnesses said the pit caved in, trapping scores of miners.
Efforts to rescue those buried reportedly led to more casualties, as some of the rescuers suffocated.
At least eight bodies have so far been recovered and returned to their community in Mekwanugga village for burial.
Both incidents underscore the deepening security and safety challenges in Zamfara, where armed violence and economic desperation continue to exact a heavy toll on rural communities.
