9 killed in gunmen attack in central Nigeria

Nine people were killed and about 10 others injured when a group of gunmen attacked a village in Nigeria’s central state of Niger, the police said, Report informs referring to Xinhua.

The victims were performing early morning prayers in a local mosque in the Ba’are village of the Mashegu local government area of Niger on Wednesday when the gunmen struck, Monday Bala Kuryas, the state's police chief told reporters in Minna, the state capital.

Kuryas said the gunmen rode on motorcycles to the village, heading straight for the mosque where they unleashed terror on the worshippers.

The injured have been taken to a government hospital for treatment, he said, adding some security personnel had been deployed to beef up security in the area.

A police investigation is underway to unravel the motive of the attackers and apprehend them, Kuryas added.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria’s northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months.