At least 27 worshippers were killed early Tuesday when armed bandits stormed a mosque in northern Nigeria’s Katsina state during morning prayers. The attackers opened fire inside the mosque as Muslims gathered for dawn worship at around 04:00 GMT, residents and officials confirmed. The assault unfolded in Unguwan Mantau, a remote village in Malumfashi local government area, leaving several others wounded and many traumatised.
Local leaders said terrified worshippers had no chance to flee as gunmen sprayed bullets in the dimly lit prayer hall. A hospital official in Katsina reported that the death toll could rise, as some victims remain in critical condition.
Villagers described a night of horror, where sacred silence was shattered by gunfire echoing through the narrow streets and mud-brick homes. Nigeria has struggled for years to contain armed gangs in its northwest, where communities endure relentless raids, kidnappings, and bloodshed.
Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, has repeatedly been targeted, underscoring the government’s waning control over rural security. The massacre marks one of the deadliest recent attacks on places of worship, deepening fears among locals about rising insecurity.
Residents expressed despair, saying their faith gathering turned into a battlefield, where prayers were silenced by the cruelty of gunmen. Authorities vowed to pursue the assailants, though villagers remain sceptical, citing past promises that ended with no visible justice.
The bloodshed reflects a broader national crisis, where ordinary Nigerians navigate daily life under the constant shadow of violence and loss. As mourners prepare mass burials, the community confronts a haunting reality: a sanctuary of peace transformed into a theatre of death.