Bandits abduct many in Zamfara community, kill imam

Sheikh Ahmad Rufa'i, the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque in Keita village, Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, was assassinated by bandits. Less than three weeks had passed since the assassination of Imam Abubakar Hassan Mada, the chief imam of the Central Mosque in Mada, in the Gusau LGA of the state, when Sheikh Rufa'i was killed. 

Ibrahim Musa Keita, a resident of Keita, claimed that the bandits raided the community soon after Muslims observed the congregational prayer known as isha'i (night prayer). 

He explained that, “Before the invasion, the residents were alerted about the movement of the bandits along Kwarin Gano-Keita Road. They were sighted along that road but we were not sure whether they would come to this village or not.

“Initially, they wanted to abduct road users along the Keita-Kwarin Gano Road, but after spending some time without getting a single person, they invaded Keita village, killed our chief imam, and abducted scores of people, including women.

“We have not ascertained the number of people they have abducted as some people ran into the bush and have not been seen yet.”

In a related occurrence, it was reported on Tuesday that two persons had been kidnapped in Magazu village in Tsafe LGA. 

The majority of the villagers fled their homes as the bandits broke into the village at three in the morning, according to local Yusuf Ibrahim.

Source