Terrorists have reportedly attacked a mosque, killing 11 worshippers during Friday’s Muslim prayer in Ruwan Jema village in Zamfara State.
PRNigeria reports that a terrorist group invaded the village in a convoy of motorcycles, even as sources confirmed that victims of the incident were indigenes of the Ruwan Jema village.
A resident of the village, Aliyu Nanarki, explained that victims were among those observing prayers in the mosque before the attack.
“Those killed by the bandits were among those observing their Friday prayer in the mosque,” Nanarki said.
It was, however, gathered that 11 corpses were recovered after the incident while some of those who were in the mosque during the attack were still missing.
Meanwhile, the notorious Zamfara bandits’ kingpin, Bello Turji, has expressed dismay and betrayal in what he described as ‘breach of peace act’ with the Nigerian government following the aerial bombardment of his residence by military fighter jets.
According to PRNigeria, it was gathered that the banditry warlord expressed his bitterness over the air raid on his abode and the killing of vulnerable people, accusing the government of breaking the peace accord they had with him to stop banditry and to protect the people of Shinkafi axis from any attack.
“There have not been any attacks in the last five months since we reached a truce with the government, but now the military has attacked our home. We feel betrayed especially after the death of vulnerable people in the airstrikes.
“For the past five months, we didn’t attack or kill anyone around Shinkafi. As a result, farming and other business activities were flourishing without any hitches. I feel embarrassed when my name is mentioned after attacks by other bandits and terrorists.
“Apart from my house that they destroyed, many other buildings belonging to innocent citizens in the forest were also affected.
“Peace is priceless and I am ready to be a peace advocate unless the government wants him to be a warmonger. I am ready for either peace or war. Whatever the government wants, we can give them a multitude”.
In another development, troops of Nigerian military in a rescue operation have rescued a police officer, four Civilian Joint Task Force fighters and three hunters from the den of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province insurgency group.
PRNigeria reported that the policeman, alongside with the other security volunteers were suspected to have been kidnapped after an attack by the ISWAP group in Gubio, Borno State.
A security source in the North-East revealed to PRNigeria that the ISWAP fighters made their first attack on the rural urban migration site at Pombom Baliya village, about five kilometres from the military base in Gubio and thereafter, fled towards Gadei village in Nganzai town.
It was gathered that the security agents abducted were able to find a way to escape as the troops engaged the terrorists in a gun battle at Nganzai.
