The spokesperson for the command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed this ‎

This was coming on the heels of the post on X (formerly Twitter) made by a Maiduguri-based security expert, Zagazola Makama, who raised an alarm that bandits sneaked into Gusau town to abduct several worshippers in a mosque while observing midnight prayers around 2 am.

“Sad. In the early morning of Tuesday at about 0200hr, bandit sneaked into Gusau Town and abducted several worshippers in a Mosque while they were observing tahajjud (midnight) prayers,” he wrote.

However, speaking on the incident, Abubakar stressed that the late Nagoma had resisted an attack by the gunmen, and they, in turn, killed him and abducted his wife and neighbour.

“The bandits did not attack the mosque. They had a target, and it was the man that was attacked. His wife and neighbour were abducted.

Our rescue team is on top of the situation and is making frantic efforts to make sure that the perpetrators are brought to book and the abducted victims are rescued. An investigation is also ongoing,” he maintained.

Several others including women and children were abducted in the attack which occurred around 1.30pm on Sunday, November 7.

A resident of the village, Musa Sani, who fled to Gusau town told Punch that the bandits stormed the village on motorcycles and began to shoot at people.

According to Sani, he was in the other part of the village when he heard gunshots and screaming of the villagers who were shouting for help. This made him run to the bush for safety.

“I was in the other part of the village when I heard gunshots and the screaming of the villagers. I quickly ran to a nearby farm where I hid until the bandits left the village,” he explained.

“When they left the village, we discovered that they had shot and killed six people and wounded several others. They also abducted many women and children whose number is yet to be known.”

“I decided to leave the village and come to Gusau for fear that the bandits might return because this is not the first time these criminals are attacking us.” he added