Suspected members of the Lakurawa militant group have carried out a deadly attack on a mosque in the Dadinkowa community of Maiyama Local Government Area, killing several worshippers and injuring others in what security sources have described as a reprisal assault.
The gunmen reportedly stormed the mosque on Wednesday evening while congregants were observing prayers, opening fire indiscriminately on those inside.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer for Kebbi State, Bashir Usman, the attack was retaliation for an earlier confrontation between suspected Lakurawa fighters and troops of the Nigerian Army’s 8 Division.
He explained that on 24 February, a convoy carrying the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division and Commander of Sector 2 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Bemgha Koughna, came under heavy gunfire near Mayama Hill. Security forces reportedly repelled the ambush, killing several suspects and thwarting the attack.
In the mosque incident that followed, officers confirmed that five worshippers died from gunshot wounds, while three others sustained injuries and were evacuated to medical facilities for treatment.
Local community sources also indicated that six victims were later buried according to Islamic rites, suggesting a potential rise in the confirmed death toll.
Authorities are continuing efforts to track down those responsible and secure the area, with intensified operations aimed at restoring peace to affected communities.
