Bandits have killed an Islamic cleric and abducted seven other residents in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack took place at Layin Danauta, Kuyello Ward, on Wednesday. The victim, Mallam Muhammad Bello, was an Assistant Imam at the Izala Mosque in the community.
Confirming the incident, the cleric’s brother, Abdullah Birnin Gwari, described the killing as devastating and blamed persistent insecurity for the growing fear in the area. He said the family and community were left traumatised and called for urgent intervention.
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the brutal killing of our senior scholar, Mallam Bello. He was a respected leader in Quranic interpretation, especially during Ramadan, at the Izala Grand Mosque in Layin Danauta. This loss has plunged us into pain and confusion,” he said.
He urged the government and security agencies to act decisively, warning that continued attacks on religious leaders and civilians were destroying peace and spreading terror.
“The lives of our people are not expendable. Those responsible are known and can be stopped if there is real commitment. Leaving them unchecked amounts to negligence,” he added.
He also condemned the violence on moral and religious grounds, stressing that taking innocent lives was a grave offence with severe consequences.
Local sources confirmed that seven other residents of Layin Danauta are still being held captive, having been abducted months earlier by the same bandit groups operating in the area and nearby communities.
The killing has renewed fears among residents and intensified calls for stronger security measures to curb banditry in the region.
