Terrorists suspected to be members of Lakurawa sect have reportedly killed 20 persons and injured scores of others in the Kwallajiya village of Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to security expert, Dan Katsina, the terrorists invaded the village on Wednesday afternoon when the villagers were observing their afternoon prayers and started shooting sporadically in what was seen as a reprisal attack following the killing of three terrorists by the community vigilante group.
Dan Katsina who shared the tragic incident on his X handle on Thursday, said residents of the village said the assailants invaded the community while the locals were in the mosque for Zuhr prayer.
Quoting a resident, Dan Katsina wrote:
“We were in the mosque praying Zuhr prayer when they invaded our village in numbers.
“They shot people at sight including the worshippers and the residents working on their farms at the time.
“They killed about 20 persons. Security operatives, the chairman of the local government area and some of his lieutenants are currently in the village to attend their burial which is taking place today.”
The resident added it was not the first time the community would be attacked by the Lakurawa sect.
“I believe it is a reprisal attack as three of their members, one of which was identified as one of their leaders were killed in a failed earlier attack on the community,” the resident.
“We want the government to do something before these people annihilate our people and take toral control of our communities.
“It is very important that the people in the affected villages intensify efforts to cooperate with security agencies in order to curb the activities of the evil men in their areas
“According to him, such atrocities were often aided by information the bandits received from some residents of the villages,” he added.