Katsina mosque attack death toll rises to 32

The death toll from Tuesday’s early morning terror attack on a mosque in the Unguwan Mantau community, Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, has climbed to 32.

Armed bandits stormed the community mosque at around 5:00 a.m. during Fajr (dawn) prayers, opening fire on worshippers in what authorities have described as a reprisal attack. Initial reports had placed the number of fatalities at 13, but during a government condolence visit on Wednesday, it was confirmed that 32 people were killed and an unspecified number abducted.

Some of the kidnapped victims were later rescued following a swift aerial intervention by the Nigerian Air Force, which disrupted the attackers’ movement. Others escaped amid the chaos and are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.

Although on medical leave, Governor Dikko Umar Radda directed the Acting Governor, Mallam Faruk Jobe, to send a high-powered delegation to condole with the bereaved community. The delegation, led by Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, was received in Karfi town by local leaders and grieving families.

Describing the massacre as “deeply painful and heartbreaking,” Faskari assured residents that the state government would strengthen security operations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Our hearts are with the families who lost their loved ones in this senseless attack,” Faskari said. “This administration remains committed to working with all security agencies to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

Speaking during the visit, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, linked the attack to an earlier confrontation in Ruwan Sanyi village, where residents ambushed and killed several bandits, rescued kidnapped victims, and seized weapons and motorcycles.

“The reprisal occurred during morning prayers,” Mu’azu explained. “The assailants entered the mosque and began firing indiscriminately.”

Mu’azu disclosed that military and police reinforcements had since been deployed to the area. He said ongoing aerial and ground operations were targeting the fleeing attackers, who often take cover under dense crops during the rainy season.

He also commended the bravery of the villagers who previously resisted the bandits, describing their actions as acts of gallantry. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to community-based security initiatives and continued support for victims’ families.