No fewer than nine worshippers have been confirmed to be killed following an attack by suspected terrorists in the Saya- Saya community in Ikara Local Government of Kaduna State.
Alhassan Muhammed who is the member representing Ikara local government at the state’s House of Assembly, said the assailants attacked two communities.
‘The sad incident happened on Friday after Insha’i prayer, the gunmen invaded the Saya- Saya town on a motorcycle with sophisticated weapons.’
‘They started shooting inside and outside the mosque during the night prayer, killing seven people inside the mosque and two others in the neighbourhood.
‘The Kaduna State government, the local government councils and other stakeholders are on top of the situation to prevent the recurrence of the ugly incident,’ the lawmaker said.
A witness, Dan-Asabe Ikara, said two other people were killed by the same attackers at Tashin Dauda – a neighbouring community while fleeing from the scene of the attack.
‘I was there when the incident happened, we were praying. I was at the mosque premises, and two of the attackers covered their faces and approached the mosque before they started firing.
One of them (attackers) blew a whistle, and one other said “we have arrived” before they started firing indiscriminately at the worshippers.
They killed six people inside the mosque, and the seventh victim died at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, in Kano State, before being attended (to) by a medical doctor,” Ikara said.
In another report, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, has raised alarm over the evolving tactics of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the West African Province, wherein they now engage in ransom-driven kidnappings and rob civilians as they continue with their illicit activities.
Speaking during his visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, to appraise the security situation, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja highlighted that this discovery shows a crucial insight gained by the security services into the new strategies employed by terrorist organisations within the country.
According to a statement published on Friday and attributed to Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has made a commitment to furnish combat Reinforcements in support of the ongoing operations within the region.