The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, on Sunday, directed the police to investigate bandits’ attack on Saya-Saya village in Ikara Local Government Area of the state, which led to the killing of seven worshippers in a mosque.

This was revealed in a statement made by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Lawal Shehu, which was released in Kaduna on Sunday.

Sani, while describing the killing as wicked and barbaric, in the statement, also vowed that the government would not rest on its oars until peace was restored in all parts of the state.

He said, “We understand the concerns and anxieties of the residents of Ikara, in particular, and Kaduna State, in general. Your safety and security are our top priorities, and we want to reassure you that we are working tirelessly to maintain peace and stability.

“We encourage the public to remain calm and vigilant during this period. We also call upon all residents to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and provide any relevant information that could assist in the ongoing investigation.”

The governor, while condemning the attack, also ordered that security operatives hunt for the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice.

Sani also sent a delegation led by Samuel Aruwan, Overseer of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, to condole the people of Saya-Saya village, Ikara Local Government, where the incident occurred.

“The delegation will also carry out an assessment of the security and humanitarian situation in the area and advise the government appropriately,” the statement read.

Some bandits, on Friday night, had invaded the village when Muslim worshippers were observing the Isha’i (Sunset) prayers in a local mosque in the area.

The bandits reportedly gunned down the vigilante leader, the Imam leading the prayer and three other worshippers, before killing two other residents in another location in the area.

The village head of the community, Abdulrahman Yusuf, who confirmed the incident, said, “We suspected they traced the vigilante leader to the mosque to attack him. We were inside the mosque praying when they arrived and started shooting.

“Five persons were killed in the mosque, while a driver who brought food items to the village was also killed. The other person was killed at a nearby village.”

The acting Police Public Relations Officer in the Kaduna Police Command, Mansur Alhassan, also confirmed the attack, which he claimed was avoidable if the villagers had alerted security operatives promptly.