Gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked a church in Katsina State on Monday night, killing two people and abducting a woman in a fresh wave of violence in the region.
The attack took place at Bege Baptist Church in Yaribori community, within Kafur Local Government Area of the state. The victims were identified as Reverend Emmanuel Na’allah, the church’s pastor, and Mallam Samaila Gidan Taro, a member of the congregation.
According to local sources, the attackers invaded the church during a gathering, opened fire on worshippers, and caused panic among the congregation. A yet-to-be-identified woman was abducted during the assault and taken away by the gunmen to an unknown destination.
The incident has deepened concerns over the worsening security situation in parts of Katsina and the broader northwestern region of Nigeria, where rural communities have increasingly come under siege by armed groups.
As of the time of this report, the Katsina State Police Command had not released an official statement regarding the incident. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Abubakar, said he could not immediately confirm the details.
The Yaribori community is currently in mourning, and residents have called on the government and security agencies to take urgent and decisive action to prevent further attacks and safeguard lives in vulnerable areas.
