Nine worshippers killed as gunmen attack mosque in Niger

Nine worshippers have been killed by gunmen in an attack on a mosque at Tungan Ba’are village in Mashegu LGA of Niger state.

According to the Niger police command, six other people were injured in the attack that took place on Thursday.

Monday-Bala Kuryas, commissioner of police in the state, said the worshippers were killed during  morning prayer.

He said a primary school teacher was also abducted by the gunmen, adding that those killed were between the ages of 30 and 65.

The police commissioner said the six injured persons have been moved to the Kontagora General hospital for treatment.

“We can’t ascertain the number of victims kidnapped, as only one primary school teacher of Tungan Ba’are was revealed to be kidnapped by the armed gunmen during the incident,” he added.

According to the commissioner, the incident might be a reprisal attack resulting from a long-standing communal feud.

He said additional armed security agents have been deployed to the area to track and arrest the gunmen and all other miscreants “undermining peaceful coexistence among the residents”.

Kuryas urged the people to support security agencies with credible information on the activities of criminals around them.

In October, some worshippers were killed when gunmen invaded a mosque at Mazukaka village in the same LGA of the state.

The gunmen also abducted seven other worshippers from the mosque.