A tragic incident has occurred in the Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where an Islamic cleric, Muhammad Bakoshi, was shot dead by armed attackers.
Community sources told The Punch that the assailants stormed the residence of the cleric, who served as the Discipline Officer of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Zalau, before killing him on the spot.
During the raid, the attackers reportedly abducted Bakoshi’s wife, who had recently delivered a baby, and their daughter, heightening fears among residents already grappling with recurring security breaches.
A resident, who pleaded anonymity, described the attack as shocking and heartbreaking, adding that the community had been living in fear due to the increasing activities of armed men in the area.
Naija News understands that the killing has thrown the Zalau community into mourning, with many residents expressing concern over what they described as a growing pattern of unchecked violence.
As of press time, the Bauchi State Police Command had yet to release an official statement on the incident, leaving residents anxious for clarity and reassurance.
Earlier on Friday, November 21, gunmen stormed Peter’s Foundation Secondary School in Rukubi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, abducting an unspecified number of schoolchildren in yet another attack on educational institutions in the North-Central region.
According to The Sun, eyewitnesses disclose that the attackers invaded the school during school hours and whisked away several pupils.
The exact number of abducted children could not be immediately confirmed as frantic efforts were ongoing to reach the Nasarawa State Police Command for official details.
Naija News reports that the incident occurred barely hours after the Niger State Government confirmed that pupils and staff of St. Mary’s School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, were kidnapped during an early-morning raid between 2 am and 3 am.
Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Abubakar Usman, described the Niger incident as “deeply distressing and avoidable,” noting that the Catholic-run school reopened without government clearance despite security warnings in the region.
“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School reopened and resumed academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and staff to avoidable risk,” he said.
Security agencies have since launched a full-scale search-and-rescue operation in both states.
Head of Disaster and Relief in Agwara LGA, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the Niger attack, while the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, noted that an official update would be issued after security assessment is completed.
Friday’s abduction adds to an escalating pattern of attacks across northern communities.
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