The death toll from Tuesday’s terror attack on worshippers in Unguwan Mantau community, Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, has climbed to 32, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The assailants, identified as bandits, stormed the community mosque around 5 a.m. while residents were observing Fajr prayers, shooting indiscriminately at worshippers in what authorities described as a reprisal assault.
Initial reports had placed the fatalities at 13. However, a state government delegation, during a condolence visit to the area, disclosed that 32 people were killed while several others were abducted. Some kidnapped victims were later rescued following a swift airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force, which disrupted the attackers’ movement. Others escaped in the chaos and are receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.
Governor Dikko Umar Radda, who is currently on medical leave, directed the acting governor, Mallam Faruk Jobe, to send a delegation to commiserate with the families of the deceased.
The team, led by Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, met with traditional leaders and grieving relatives in Karfi town.
Describing the killings as “deeply painful and heartbreaking,” Faskari assured residents that the government would strengthen security operations and pursue the perpetrators.
“Our hearts are with the families who lost their loved ones in this senseless attack. This administration remains committed to working with all security agencies to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he said.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, explained that the killings were linked to a confrontation days earlier in Ruwan Sanyi, where residents ambushed bandits, rescued kidnapped victims, and seized weapons and motorcycles.
“The reprisal occurred while the community was observing morning prayers. The criminals started shooting sporadically inside the mosque,” Mu’azu said.
He added that military and police reinforcements had been deployed, with both aerial and ground operations underway to track down the attackers. Mu’azu also commended the courage of residents who resisted the bandits, describing their actions as gallant.
The condolence delegation included senior aides on community watch and victims of banditry, the Malumfashi lawmaker in the state House of Assembly, the council chairman, and heads of security agencies — among them the Police Commissioner, the Commander of the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, the DSS Director, and the NSCDC Commandant.
The state government reaffirmed its commitment to restoring peace and protecting lives across Katsina, noting that immediate support had been extended to victims’ families while a comprehensive damage assessment was ongoing.
