Re-Gunmen Attack Mosque Kill Many Worshippers In Ungwan Mantau Community, Malumfashi Local Government Area Of Katsina State

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) under the able leadership of its President-General, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto is in utter disbelief that worshippers would be attacked in an early hours of Tuesday, 19th August, 2025, during Subh prayer – in a mosque, in Mantau Community of Malumfashi Local Government Area, Katsina state. The Associated Press (AP) reported that the death toll from a shooting at the mosque and attacks on several nearby villages in north-western Nigeria has risen to 50, a local official said on Wednesday, according to lawmaker Aminu Ibrahim.

“The bandits killed 30 people and burnt 20 others during attacks on several villages,” Ibrahim told the state parliament.

This is coming after thirty-five (35) abductees were killed in Kauran Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara state. The JNI after carefully followed the events relating to gory events really finds it despicable that these repeated cycles of bloodletting have remained untamed despite several calls to an end of this madness. What baffles the JNI in recent years of these killings, kidnappings and/or abductions is that criminals brazenly act unchallenged. What could be the factors and why? What else is expected to be said that has not been said? The infamous acts of violent armed groups in Nigeria in recent years, calls for serious retrospection, as there seem to be a missing link in the coordination and tracking of those involved in the reprehensible acts.

Why is it that these repeated actions have continued clandestinely without any trace? As a country, do we really understand the magnitude of these repeated orgies of events? From the several unaccounted abductions and killings in Zamfara state, to the too many activities of insurgents in North Central Nigeria, and to the very Malumfashi attack of worshippers in a mosque, the tragedies are too many to bear for the Muslim Ummah and it is making the citizens more and more agitated. Government must therefore realize that decisiveness needs to come to play. Undoubtedly, the recent successful arrest of the Mahmuda kingpins by the office of the NSA is a commendable effort, but more needs to be done to avert lawlessness in Nigeria.

The Glorious Qur’an states unequivocally “…that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors. Q5:32. Similarly, Allah, the Most High says “And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right.

This has He instructed you that you may use reason.” Q6:151. From these Qur’anic verses it is forbidden for human life to be killed unjustly, talk-less of burning it. And in all climes, government is essentially in place to protect and safeguard human life from being killed. Besides, Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution unambiguously affirms that human life is sacrosanct. For Allah’s sake can’t the Nigerian state face these dastardly acts squarely, once and for all?

Nevertheless, the JNI condemns in the strongest terms these repeated senseless and barbaric acts, along with other equally disheartened bloodletting and carnages cum arson attacks in Nigeria. Perpetrators be tracked, arrested and dealt with in accordance to the extant laws. Just we have stated countless number of times that the insecurity bedeviling North Western states and some part of the North Central states are more or less an extension of Boko Haram, more needs to be done, which is of course one tragedy too many for Nigeria! Some people will argue that the attacks by the bandits aren’t lethal, such as bombings!

Then if so, where is the humanity in us? As you cannot claim to be a man of faith, without having the feeling of humanity in you! We ask again, aren’t the security operatives conversant with Sun Tzu’s Five Types of Spies in his The Art of War: local, inside, double, doomed and surviving? And that no one must discover your methods. Moreover, what stops the use of other maneuvers if what is in place isn’t yielding the desired results?

Nonetheless, while we continue to express our sincere condolences to all the victims of these unfortunate killings, we are calling on both the politicians and non-governmental organisations to strengthen their cooperation and/or synergy aimed at finding a lasting solution to these spates of killings and destructions.

OUR PRAYERS

1. The federal government of Nigeria should be seen to be proactive on security matters, as well as assure and assuage citizens’ fears at critical moments of grief. The recurrent security challenges such as abductions and/or kidnappings, outright senseless killings, attack of Boko Haram cum ISWAP insurgents, in addition to ethnic violence here and there within Nigeria is alarming.

2. Government should begin outlining its priorities on the security challenges bedeviling the country and frontally rise against the surge of insecurity, through proactive measures and nipping in the bud, before it degenerates further.

3. Nigerian citizens are all implored to see this insecurity challenge as a national disaster that needs our respective collective support, by way of divulging relevant intelligence to those concerned, on any suspicious activities in or around our domains, so as to nip timely in the bud doubtful movements.

4. Conclusively, Allah has indeed promised to ease our affairs, after hardship, we must therefore seek His intervention to ending these repeated cataclysms in our country, while we also make amends in our dealings and interactions.

Lastly, we pray that Allah, the Most Merciful forgives all victims of the killings and bless them with martyrdom (shahadah). May He console their respective families and strengthen them to bear the loss.

May He also assist, direct and energize those in authorities willing to discharge their first responsibility of protecting lives and properties. Amin. May the enemies of the Nigerian state be destroyed and their plans be disseminated on them. Amin.