Armed "bandits" launched coordinated attacks in Katsina state, targeting a mosque in Unguwar Mantau and nearby villages, killing around 50 people. The attackers killed about 30 worshippers in the mosque, later killed an additional 20 people, torched homes and abducted dozens, with survivors reporting women and girls dragged away. Authorities intercepted some assailants and averted planned assaults on two villages, but other communities were already burned. The violence stems from bandit gangs that evolved from farmer-herder disputes into organized crime, driven by cattle rustling, kidnappings for ransom, extortion and weak state presence. Local vigilante action reportedly preceded the reprisals.
Scores were killed and dozens kidnapped after "bandits" attacked a mosque in the Nigerian town of Unguwar Mantau and set homes ablaze in nearby villages. At least 50 people were killed in a widespread attack on Muslim communities in Nigeria's Katsina state, officials confirmed Wednesday. Initially, the death toll of the Tuesday attacks was reported to be much lower. The crime was said to be perpetrated by so-called "bandits," members of criminal gangs who regularly target communities in the region.
What was the motive for the attack? Nigeria's bandits routinely raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and burn homes after looting them. The violence in the northwestern part of the country began as disputes over land and water between farmers and herders but has morphed into organized crime. Cattle rustling, kidnappings and extortion targeting farming communities now provide steady revenue to armed groups.
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