Armed robbers opened fire on a group of people as they left prayers at a mosque in the northern state of Kaduna on Sunday, killing about 20, a military spokesman said.
“It is clear case of armed robbery” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Usman told AFP, confirming the shooting outside the mosque in the village of Dogo Dawa. “The last time I spoke with my (contact) in the area, he said it was 20 people dead.”
More detail soon....
Source: Vanguard
UPDATE: Mosque Attackers Dressed As Police Men
Armed robbers opened fire on a group of people as they left prayers at a mosque in the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna on Sunday, killing about 20, a military spokesman said.
A resident reported that the gunmen were disguised in police uniforms as they stormed the mosque in the village of Dogon Dawa just before sunrise, shooting both those still worshipping within the building as well as some outside.
“It is a clear case of armed robbery” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Usman told AFP, confirming the shooting. “The last time I spoke with my (contact) in the area, he said it was 20 people dead.”
Religiously divided Kaduna has seen waves of sectarian violence in recent months.
Suicide bombings at three churches in June that were claimed by Islamist group Boko Haram sparked reprisal violence by Christian mobs who killed dozens of their Muslim neighbours, burning some of their victims’ bodies.
Muslim groups also formed mobs and killed several Christians.
Usman however told AFP that the latest attack was linked to a running feud between a group of “bandits” and a vigilante group in Dogon Dawa.
The thieves had tried to rob some residents earlier in the week but were repelled, he said, adding that the robbers returned to the village on Sunday and carried out what he termed a “revenge” attack.
Asked about a potential religious element in the shootings, he said only that “the victims were coming from prayers” at the mosque.
Village resident Dauda Maikudi told AFP that thieves regularly target the area as Dogon Dawa falls along a main road frequently used by traders carrying goods and cash between the north and south of Africa’s most populous country.
“It was a pre-dawn raid,” he said. “The attackers…, some of them dressed in police uniform, came into the village. They killed eight worshippers in the mosque and killed 13 other residents in the village.”
“We believe they were armed robbers because this area has been bedeviled with armed robbers for years,” he added.
Maikudi’s higher death toll and details of the gunmen’s clothing could not be immediately confirmed by the security services.
Dogon Dawa is roughly 70 kilometres (44 miles) from the state capital Kaduna city.
Violent robbery is common on Kaduna’s notoriously dangerous major roadways, with attackers often setting up roadblocks and targetting their victims under the cover of darkness.
Source: Vanguard
UPDATE: Killing Of Worshippers, reprisal attack
Against the backdrop of weekend’s killing of about 20 Muslim worshippers by unknown gunmen in Dogo Dawa area of Kaduna State and claims by the CNN and Aljazeeranetwork’s report alleging that the killings were the handiwork of the military, the Defence Headquarters, last night, clarified that the killings emanated from reprisal attacks.
A statement signed by Director of Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, reads: “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to the unsubstantiated claims by CNN and Aljazeera alleging that the Nigerian military carried out an early morning attack on Muslim worshippers in a mosque at Dogo Dawa, a village near Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, where 20 people were allegedly killed by unknown gunmen.
“This is contrary to reports by other local and international media organisations, who reported that the attack was carried out by unknown gunmen.
“Investigation revealed that the killing was a reprisal attack by a gang of armed robbers who lost some of their members after a recent raid of their hideout through the combined effort of the villagers and the vigilante group in that community.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to state categorically in the interest of the larger society that no member of the Nigerian Armed Forces was involved in the said attack which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, October 14, 2012.
“We wish to reassure the general public of our readiness to offer assistance to the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies whose primary responsibility is the maintenance of law and order in the society.
“We are committed to the defence and protection of our country’s hard earned democracy and more importantly, the Nigerian Armed Forces belong to the Nigerian people.”
“We urge members of the public to go about their legitimate businesses without any fear of molestation from any quarter, and to also report any breach of peace and security in the society to law enforcement agencies”.
Source: Vanguard
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