Terrorists on motorcycles attacked a Jum’at mosque on Friday and kidnapped several worshipers in the Zugu community of the Bukkuyum area in Zamfara state.

Multiple local sources said that the terrorists did not kill any residents during the attack that lasted more than an hour.

State police confirmed the kidnapping but said they cannot confirm the number of those kidnapped.

During the attack, which began shortly before the arrival of the Chief Imam to lead the prayer, one person, Habibu Fada, was shot and taken to hospital.

“He was shot trying to run away when the bandits stormed the mosque. Unknown to him, they had surrounded the mosque. They hate when they ask people to gather in one place and you try to run away,” his brother, Sheriff Fada, narrated.

He added that he was rushed to a medical center in Gummi after the bandits left.

Fada said the gunmen kidnapped several residents, including her friends and siblings.

Another resident, Yasir Sahabi, said he was saved because he was late for the mosque.

“The bandits have taken my friend, Usman Junaidu. He went to the mosque very early and I was even supposed to be with him, but I don’t even know why I didn’t go as early as we used to. But while performing ablution to go, I heard gunshots, then I saw people who had not come to the mosque, running. That’s when I started running too,” Sahabi said.

He said the deputy chief imam, who led the pre-khutba sermon, and the muazzin (prayer caller), were among those kidnapped.

Although the number of those abducted had not yet been determined at the time of this report, one resident, Bashiru Dantanin, said that 44 residents have not been counted since the attack.

Although some residents may have run into the bush for fear of being kidnapped, Dantanin said the community is still collecting the names of the disappeared.

“So far, we have counted 44 people who have not yet been treated. All families are affected in this attack,” she said.

When contacted, the police spokesman in Zamfara state, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the attack but said the number of hostages or the location of the attack has yet to be determined.

“We received the report of the attack and it was confirmed that some residents were kidnapped. The number of those who were taken has not yet been determined and we do not know if it was in a mosque or somewhere in the area, but the most important thing is that there has been an attack, ”he said.

He said that the command has gone into action to rescue the hostages.

Zamfara state, considered the epicenter of terrorism in the northwest, has seen renewed terror, with areas such as Bukkuyum and Gummi among the worst affected since January.