The Taraba State Police Command, has confirmed the invasion of a Mosque in the Baba Juli village in Bali Local Government Area of the state by gunmen numbering about 50, who killed three of the worshippers, who were breaking their Ramadan fast.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Usman Abdullahi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the incident which occurred on Tuesday evening, also saw several others abducted by the bandits while some others sustained injuries while trying to escape.
“Yes, the Command can confirm that bandits attacked worshippers at a Mosque in Baba Juli village in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.
“The details are sketchy but three persons were reportedly killed while some were kidnapped. Others sustained injuries while trying to escape.
“But we are awaiting more details from the Police Divisional office in Bali before coming out with a comprehensive statement,” Abdullahi said.
Eyewitnesses, however, report that the heavily armed attackers who were more than 50, stormed the Mosque on motorcycles and began shooting sporadically, killing the three victims and abducted many worshippers from the Mosque, taking them to an unknown location.
A resident of the village who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying:
“Yesterday’s attack caught us unawares. We were breaking our fast inside the mosque when we started hearing gun shots and there was nothing we could do to counter the terrorists.”
“Three persons were killed inside the Mosque by the bandits and many villagers were abducted and taken to unknown location,” he said.
A villager said;
“Yesterday’s attack caught us unawares. We were breaking our fast inside the mosque when we started hearing gunshots and there was nothing we could do to counter the terrorists.”
The spokesperson for Taraba State Police Command, DSP Usman Abdullahi confirmed the incident but said he was waiting for more details from the police Divisional office in Bali.
