Police confirm 16 killed in Kajuru, Kaduna attack

The Kaduna State Police Command on Monday said no fewer than 16 persons were killed by gunmen at Barde Village under Maro in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

Mr Sabo said at about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, some unknown armed men entered Barde Village under Maro in Kajuru Local Government Area and started shooting sporadically which resulted in the death of 16 persons.

He said on receipt of the information, the command mobilised teams of police operatives led by Kajuru Divisional Police Officer (DPO) alongside military personnel with a view to apprehend the perpetrators and restore normalcy to the area.

He added that the operation was ongoing and the situation had been brought under control.

”While investigation is in progress, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurrahman, has vowed to uncover the masterminds of this dastardly act and bring them to justice,” he said.

He appealed for calm and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were affected by the recent carnage.

Residents had earlier narrated how the attack occurred to PREMIUM TIMES.

“It started around 7 a.m. this morning,” an indigene of Dogon Noma who simply wants to be identified as Hon. Stingo said.

“All of a sudden they (villagers) heard gunshots. When they began to come out of their houses, some were being shot dead. They shared themselves into three batches. One batch was standing strategically in the bushes surrounding the village. Two groups went in. The first group was the one firing. When people began to scamper for their lives, the second group enters and began to set the house on fire. Then those who ran into the bushes, those that were standing there were waiting for them.

“In the whole community, there’s no house that was not set ablaze. As we are talking, nobody can tell the number of casualties. Apart from the man (dead bodies) that have been heaped, there are many in the bushes around.”