Gunmen stormed into a Mosque in Nigeria's Katsina State and kidnapped 19 men who were observing the Islamic evening prayer inside the Mosque.
19 of the 44 people were Muslim worshippers abducted by the bandits while they were observing the Islamic evening prayer inside their Mosque at Maigamji community, a local Nigerian newspaper, Punch reported.
The locals said that terrorists shot and injured the chief imam leading the prayer and one other worshipper before taking others away.
It was further revealed that a combined team of the police and vigilantes rescued two of the victims on Saturday, while four others were rescued on Sunday.
According to Punch Newspaper citing the spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah reported that the terrorists stormed into the Mosque and shot the Imam and another person.
Isah said, "The terrorists stormed the Mosque at Maigamji while the people were observing Issahi. They shot and injured the imam and one other person. Those people are currently responding to treatment in a hospital."
"The terrorists also abducted some worshippers that night, but a combined team of the police and vigilantes rescued two of the victims that night. Security operatives also rescued four other victims on Sunday, making a total of six victims who were rescued," Punch quoted him as saying.
He further said that currently, 13 victims are in the custody of the terrorists and the operatives are making efforts to ensure that they are rescued.
Meanwhile, residents of Karare and Kokiya villages, in the Batsari LGA of the state, have said terrorists kidnapped 31 people early Friday, according to Punch.
The residents alleged that the terrorists stormed the villages and took the victims away.
The police spokesman, however, asked for time to confirm the report. He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report, Punch reported.
( With inputs from ANI )
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