Pantami Condemns Katsina Mosque Massacre, Says Killers of Innocent Worshippers Deserve No Mercy
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has condemned in strong terms the killing of worshippers during fajr (morning) prayers at Unguwan Mantau in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, left at least 27 people dead and several others wounded after armed bandits stormed the mosque, according to reports by Al Jazeera and local officials.
In a condolence message, Pantami described the killings as “criminality of the highest order,” noting that those behind the attack “are heartless, malevolent, and worse than animals.”
“Our heartfelt condolences go to the immediate families of those killed, to the entire Unguwan Mantau community, and to the people of Katsina State. The killers of defenceless people deserve no mercy,” he said.
Pantami referenced a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the spiritual significance of fajr and isha prayers, stressing that those murdered were engaged in one of the most spiritually rewarding congregational acts in Islam.
He urged security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators, recommending the use of advanced geospatial and telecom-based intelligence. “Security agencies may wish to use geospatial analysis from phone location data, including cell tower and GPS records, to track those present in the environment when the crime was committed,” he advised, adding that he has consistently advocated such measures for years.
Praying for the victims, Pantami said: “May Allah accept the departed ones as martyrs, grant their families fortitude, humiliate the criminals, and establish absolute peace in Nigeria.”
Pantami, who is also Co-Chairman of the African Union’s 4th Industrial Revolution Policy Council (ASRIC), reaffirmed the need for peace and stability in Nigeria, calling on authorities to end what he described as “inhumanity and criminality” across the country.
