Mosque attack: Residents block Katsina highway over killing of 13 worshippers

IGP Egbetokun

Tension gripped Katsina State on Tuesday as angry youths and residents of Unguwa Muntau, a community situated between Malumfashi and Bakori, took to the streets in protest following the killing of 13 worshippers by suspected armed bandits.

The protesters, in their hundreds, blocked the busy Malumfashi–Funtua highway, a major route linking Kano to Funtua, Gusau, and Sokoto, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours. The demonstration later spread into Malumfashi town, causing a total gridlock and forcing many travellers to abandon their journeys.

Eyewitnesses said the tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when bandits stormed Unguwa Muntau during the dawn prayers. According to a resident, Abubakar, who narrowly escaped, the attackers opened fire on worshippers inside the mosque without provocation.

“They just entered and started shooting at people who were praying. Thirteen people died instantly. It was something we had never seen before,” he told our correspondent.

The killings sparked outrage among residents, who barricaded the highway with stones, logs, and burning tyres, demanding urgent government action to secure their communities. The blockade created a long stretch of traffic that lasted several hours.

Our correspondent, who was trapped in the gridlock, reported that many travellers were forced to take long detours through villages in order to continue their journey. Some spent over 20 hours on the road due to the disruptions.

One stranded motorist recounted the harrowing experience, “We spent more than three hours stuck, waiting for security agents to intervene, but no one came. At one point, a young man among the protesters threatened to set our vehicle on fire if we tried to move. Punch