Bandits have abducted about 40 worshippers during dawn prayers in Gidan Turbe village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The worshippers were abducted in the early hours of Monday.
This is coming few hours after reaching peace agreement between local authorities and some armed groups in neighbouring Katsina State.
According to Zagazola Makama, the attackers stormed the mosque during early morning prayers, surrounded the worshippers, and forcibly marched them into nearby forests.
The abductees were reportedly taken toward the Gohori axis of Tsafe, a densely forested area often used as a hideout by criminal elements.
A community leaders alleged that the attacks were carried out by bandits loyal to Adamu Aliero.
He said the violence was a consequence of Zamfara State’s refusal to enter into a peace accord with the armed groups.
“This is their usual pattern. Whenever they reach a peace deal with one community, they simply shift their attacks to neighboring areas.
“The same thing happened before—when there was a peace agreement in Zamfara, the bandits moved their operations to Katsina.
“After the latest peace deal was brokered last Saturday in Katsina, I knew we would be their next target—because Katsina is our immediate neighbor,” the leader added.
