Bandits armed with dangerous weapons have launched an attack on Dan-Ali, a community in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State, disrupting Jummat prayers in several mosques.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, caused panic and forced worshippers to flee the prayer grounds.
Eyewitnesses told PUNCH that the armed assailants stormed the community, firing sporadically into the air.
“We were at the Jummat prayer when we heard the shooting, and everybody ran. We couldn’t hold our prayers again,” a source within the community told PUNCH. He added that the Security Watch Corps in the area quickly responded, chasing off the attackers.
Despite this temporary relief, the source, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed concern for the safety of the community. “We need reinforcement because the bandits are giving us a tough time in our communities as we speak,” he said.
The community has been under siege for over a week, with the bandits preventing farmers from accessing their farmlands.
Villages such as Gwarjo, Dangane, Tudun, Tasha Kadanya, and Tasha Biri are among the affected areas.
The source also revealed that several farmers had been kidnapped, and many more are now afraid to tend to their crops due to the growing insecurity.
Efforts to reach the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, for a statement on the situation were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
