At least 15 Muslim worshippers were gruesomely killed, and several others left injured when armed assailants stormed a mosque in Sokoto State during the early hours of Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The tragic attack occurred while the victims were observing Salat (prayer), in what has been described as a cold-blooded massacre by suspected terrorists. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers struck without provocation, opening fire indiscriminately on unarmed worshippers during the peaceful religious gathering.
Community leaders and residents have condemned the act as barbaric and deeply troubling, especially considering that the victims were engaged in worship at the time of the attack. “They were in prayer, with no weapons, no provocation. This is a pure act of terrorism,” said one resident who narrowly escaped the attack.
Though security forces have since been deployed to the area and an investigation is underway, the incident has sparked widespread calls for justice and renewed demands for enhanced security, particularly in religious centres and vulnerable communities in northern Nigeria.
Religious and civil society leaders have also expressed disappointment over the lack of national outrage and media attention surrounding the massacre, describing it as an unacceptable silence over the killing of innocent citizens in their place of worship.
As the nation grapples with the broader implications of the attack, many are urging authorities at all levels to treat this incident with the urgency and seriousness it demands, ensuring the perpetrators are brought to justice and similar tragedies are prevented in the future.
