THE lawmaker representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sada Soli, has raised alarm that the armed bandits who carried out Tuesday’s massacre at a mosque in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State are not only known to security operatives but also hold control of territories in parts of the state.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Soli said the assailants responsible for killing dozens of worshippers during early morning (Subhi) prayers operate freely across border communities and are linked to the ongoing crisis in neighbouring Zamfara State.
“They are the ones who hold territory in the state. They are known, especially on the axis of Kankara bordering Zamfara State,” he said.
“They enter Kankara, then they enter Malumfashi, then they enter Funtua on this side. They are contiguous local governments; they all share borders. So these are some of the difficulties.”
The lawmaker dismissed the notion that the attackers are foreign invaders, stressing that they are local actors who mingle with communities.
“They are not from the moon; they are people who live with us. They are not people coming from somewhere, so the security operatives know them,” Soli said.
He added that insecurity in Katsina cannot be handled by the state alone, urging for urgent federal intervention to prevent the further escalation of violence.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government on Wednesday confirmed that 32 worshippers lost their lives in the attack.
This was disclosed in a statement by the state’s media directorate after a condolence visit to the affected Unguwar Mantau community. The delegation, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, met with survivors, local leaders, and relatives of the victims in Karfi town.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Mu’azu, earlier described the killings as a reprisal attack, though details of the motive remain unclear.
The statement also revealed that the Nigerian Air Force carried out a swift air interdiction during the attack, disrupting the bandits as they attempted to flee with kidnapped victims.
“In the ensuing confusion, some victims scattered in different directions, while others were rescued and are now receiving treatment in hospitals,” the government said, noting that the number of abducted persons is still being verified.
The mosque killings add to a series of violent attacks across Katsina, one of the states most affected by armed banditry in Nigeria’s North-West. Communities along the Katsina-Zamfara border have repeatedly come under siege, with residents complaining of mass killings, abductions, and extortion.
The Katsina State Government expressed deep condolences to the families of the slain worshippers and assured them that efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
Security agencies have since intensified patrols in the affected local government areas, while the state has appealed for calm among residents.