At least 11 worshippers have been reportedly killed by terrorists who attacked a Mosque in Ruwan Jema community in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The incident happened on Friday when residents of the community gathered for the Friday Jummat prayer.
A resident of Bukkuyum, Salisu Ibrahim, told Channels Television that the terrorists invaded the community at about 1:50 pm and went straight to the community’s central mosque where people had already gathered for prayer.
They then opened fire on the worshippers, killing 11 persons while several others were injured.
Ibrahim said the terrorists also ransacked the community and are believed to have killed other residents but the numbers have yet to be ascertained.
“The total number of people killed is not yet certain, except the 11 people killed inside the mosque,” he said.
He explained that it had initially been thought that 15 people were killed but it turned out that four of the 15 were unconscious and not dead.
According to him, as of 7 pm on Saturday, the 11 people confirmed killed had been buried.
Another resident of Bukkuyum, Abdullahi Mohammed, said the attack was suspected to be a reprisal by the terrorists as the community’s local vigilante popularly called Yan Sakai reportedly killed two of the terrorists earlier.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara Command, SP Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the attack. He, however, said details about the number of people killed and injured were not certain.
“The report about the attack on Ruwan Jema Village in Bukkuyum LGA is very sketchy at the moment due to the poor road and communication networks caused by the remote Nature of the area,” he said.
“However, the Police Tactical team led by the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) Bukkuyum/vigilante men were immediately mobilised and deployed to the village, for an on-the-spot assessment.”
He said more details would be provided.