Gunmen kill worshipers in Niger mosque

About 18 worshipers have been killed by armed gunmen in Mashegu town of Mashegu local government area of Niger state.

The gunmen reportedly rounded up the worshipers who assembled for the 5.30 am prayer on Monday killing them in cold blood.

The attackers who stormed the mosque shot sporadically at their victims, leaving several of them injured.

It was gathered that the armed men raided the community riding on motorcycles and wielding AK47 rifles and other dangerous weapons and in the process, several of the worshipers and villagers managed to escape into the bush.

An eyewitness claimed that the death toll from the attack could be over 18 because the whereabouts of many people had not been known to enable them to know if they were alive or dead.

However, the eyewitness said he and others counted 18 corpses. When contacted, the Niger State Police Commissioner Mr Monday Bala Kuyars confirmed the incident, which he described as sad and unfortunate.

Kuyars told newsmen that he had not received details of the incident but added that the number of casualties cannot be up to the figure being claimed.

He said reinforcement of armed security men had been dispatched to the area to restore law and order.