LAGOS, Nigeria

The death toll from Tuesday's terrorist attack on a mosque and nearby homes in the Unguwan Mantau area of Katsina State, northwestern Nigeria, has jumped to 50, with 37 more victims confirmed dead in the gruesome assault, and another 60 abducted.

Aminu Ibrahim, a lawmaker representing Malumfashi Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly, revealed on Wednesday that 30 worshippers were shot dead and another 20 were burned alive during the morning attack.

"Thirty people were killed while praying. We discovered another 20 burned. Our people cannot live like this," Ibrahim lamented to his colleagues during the plenary session of the House of Assembly.

He added that another 60 people have been kidnapped.

Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, Katsina police spokesperson, told Anadolu over the phone that the attackers burned people in their homes.

"They shot at people sporadically and burned 20 of their homes, bringing the total to around 50. By the time police arrived, the bandits had already burned down homes in other villages and kidnapped dozens of people."

Meanwhile, acting Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe has paid a visit to the Chief of Defense, pleading with the military to provide more support.

Terrorists, locally known as bandits, pose a significant security threat to Nigeria's northwest and north-central regions. These groups are notorious for their brutality, as they attack villages, kidnap residents for ransom, and loot property.

President Bola Tinubu has responded by taking a firm stance against bandits and terrorists in Nigeria.