Gunmen have abducted thirteen worshippers from a local mosque in Maigamji village of Funtua town in Katsina State, while the whereabout of the victims remain unknown as at the time of filing this report, but sources said they are still being held in terrorists’ camps.
Penpushing reports that the terrorists invaded the mosque around to 8 p.m. on Saturday and asked the worshippers who were observing their night prayers to follow them at gunpoint, while one of the worshippers identified as Bashir Murtala, narrowly escaped.
The lucky survivor in his narration said they (worshippers) started running in different directions instead of following the terrorists, adding that in response the terrorists started shooting straight at the fleeing worshippers.
“I was in the third row inside the mosque. There was no light, so we were using a lamp and some people had put on their phone’s light. When the bandits started shouting that we should follow them, those in the last row and outside the mosque started running. The bandit standing in the front of the mosque started shooting. Our Chief Imam, Malam Yusha’u and some other worshippers were injured’, he said.
Penpushing further reports that, Murtala said as at the time of this reports, the Imam and the other worshippers are receiving medical attention in an undisclosed health facility in Funtua town.,adding that two of them are in critical state.
The escapee said the terorrists succeeded in taking 19 worshippers, adding immediately after the terorrists took off with the captives, a group of vigilantes pursued them and managed to rescue six captives.
“We’ve some vigilante members in this community and when they heard gunshots, they quickly mobilized their friends from other nearby villages and followed the terrorists which led to the rescue of the six residents but thirteen are still with the bandits’, he stated
Penpushing also reports that, Katsina State Police Command Public Relations Officer Gambo Isa, in a statement confirmed the attack, adding that those rescued were saved by the police and vigilante members.
“It’s true, the attack took place. The terrorists stormed the Mosque at Maigamji while people were observing prayers. They shot and injured the Imam and one other person. Those people are currently responding to treatment in a hospital’, he said.
“The terrorists also abducted some worshippers that night, but a combined team of the police and the vigilante rescued two of the victims that night. The security operatives also rescued four other victims on Sunday, making a total of six victims who have been rescued so far. Presently, 13 victims are still in the custody of the terrorists and our operatives are making serious efforts to ensure that they are rescued without any injury”, Gambo stated
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