The Guardian learnt that many worshippers were injured in the attack, which occurred at about 7:25p.m. on Monday, during the Ishaa prayers.

It was gathered that the gunmen, who came in their numbers, stormed the mosque during the prayers and started shooting sporadically.

A source from the community said,  but for timely intervention of the people from the community who thronged out en-mass to confront the gunmen,  more casualties would have been recorded.

He said: “The residents of the community came out in their large numbers to confront the gunmen, which forced them to flee into the surrounding mountains of the town. “

“The residents were courageous enough to come out when the shooting started and forced the gunmen to escape, hence nobody was abducted by the gunmen and normalcy has since returned to the town.”

Meanwhile, the killed monarch,  Alhaji Abdulkadir Maisamari, has been buried  yesterday morning according to the Muslim rites.

Contacted, spokesperson for  the state command, Deputy Superintendent of  Police (DSP) Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, but he did not give the details as he was still expecting additional information from the Divisional Police Officer  (DPO) in  the area.

The incident occurred  barely two weeks after armed bandits attacked worshippers in a mosque in Bali Local Council and  killed three people, while  several others were abducted.