Mosque attack in Nigeria results in the loss of 50 lives, according to a political representative
In a tragic turn of events, a shooting at a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Katsina state, Nigeria, has resulted in the loss of at least 50 lives. The attack occurred during morning prayers on Tuesday, with over 30 people killed and 20 others burned in the attack.
The gunmen responsible for the attack have yet to claim responsibility. However, such incidents are not uncommon in Nigeria's northwestern and north-central regions, where numerous armed groups, including jihadist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa, as well as Islamist Fulani militias, have been conducting attacks and massacres.
The conflict in these regions has become deadlier in recent years, with over 35,000 civilians having been killed and more than two million displaced due to the Boko Haram insurgency, according to the United Nations.
The attack in Unguwan Mantau may have been in retaliation for a raid by townspeople that resulted in several gunmen being killed over the weekend. The Katsina state commissioner, Nasir Mu'azu, has deployed the army and police in the area to prevent further attacks.
The herders, mostly of Fulani origin, have been accused by farmers of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders claim that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965.
Gunmen often hide among crops in farms during the rainy season to carry out attacks on communities. Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigeria's mineral-rich regions.
Separate from the conflict between farming and herding communities, Nigeria is battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast. The prolonged conflict in these regions has led to a significant loss of lives and displacement of people.
Authorities and analysts have reported an increase in the number of herdsmen taking up arms. This escalation of violence threatens to further destabilise already fragile communities in Nigeria's northwestern and north-central regions.
A recent attack last month in north-central Nigeria claimed the lives of 150 people. The international community is urged to take notice of the escalating violence in Nigeria and take measures to support the Nigerian government in restoring peace and stability in the affected regions.
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