Soldiers open fire on Katsina residents protesting insecurity, kill two, as gunmen raid mosque in Taraba town
Personnel of the Nigerian Army allegedly opened fire on protesters who were said to be protesting the high level of insecurity in their community following a recent attack by bandits who reportedly killed about eight persons and abducted 17 women in Kanon Haki village, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
This is also as gunmen raided a mosque in Taraba State, abducting over four worshippers in the attack said to have taken place at a town in Gassol local government area of Taraba State, Wednesday night.
The aggrieved Katsina residents had on Wednesday blocked the Funtua-Gusau Road over the bandits’ recurring attacks in the area.
According to BBC, soldiers deployed to the area killed two of the protesters and injured four others.
The victims had attacked the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, saying they did not get help from security agencies.
Meanwhile, when they started protesting, soldiers allegedly opened fire on them.
Katsina, despite being the home state of President Buhari, has witnessed sporadic attacks by bandits and kidnappers that have claimed the lives of many.
Over 700 people have been reportedly killed by the gunmen in Jibia, Kankara, Dutsinma, Musawa, Danmusa and Safana local government areas of the state in the last five months.
On December 11, 2020, some bandits kidnapped 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, while Buhari was on a visit to the state. They were released about a week later.
Also on December 19, 84 Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya in Mahuta village, in the Dandume Local Government Area of the state were abducted but rescued shortly after.
Meanwhile, over four worshippers were reportedly abducted when gunmen raided a mosque at Tella town in Gassol local government area of Taraba State.
A resident of the community identified as Suleiman Rabiu disclosed that the gunmen invaded the mosque around 7.12 pm and abducted worshipers who were observing Isha’i prayers.
It was also reported that the gunmen after invading the mosque and disrupting the prayer, led the worshippers out of the Mosque at gunpoint.
The source claimed that the gunmen released one of the worshippers and took the remaining to an unknown location.
Among those abducted are Alhaji Yahaya, Aminu Dali and Alhaji Hussaini, who is chairman of grain dealers in the area.