An armed gang killed at least 15 people in a mosque in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara, local residents told Reuters.
Three residents said that the attack took place in Bukoyom area while performing Friday prayers yesterday at the Central Mosque in Roan Jima town.
"Members of the armed gang arrived on motorbikes, they drew their weapons, and they went to the mosque directly and started shooting at us randomly," said Amimo Mustafa.
Another person said that the attack took place around 2:00 p.m. local time, adding that there were many injured.
It is noteworthy that the heavily armed gangs have wreaked havoc in northwest Nigeria during the past two years, kidnapping thousands, killing hundreds, and making walking on the roads extremely dangerous in some areas.
The army had ordered residents of Zamfara and two other states last week to leave the forest areas ahead of a bombing campaign targeting gangs and terrorists.