Gunmen attacked two communities in the troubled Kajuru Local Government of Kaduna State on Monday making the second time.
Multiple sources confirmed the attack to our correspondent, although the police and state government are yet to react.
The attacks occoured in Ikirimi village, as well as Iri, Dogon Noma in Ungwar Gamo, both in Kajuru Local Government Area. The attacks left a yet-to-be ascertained number of casualties, this newspaper learnt.
The attack is coming a day after a similar onslaught which left many dead in Ungwar Barde, making it the second time the community will fall under such attack in recent times.
“It started around 7a.m. this morning,” an indigene of Dogon Noma who simply want 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.”
A prominent persons in the community who does not want to be named for security reasons confirmed the killings to PREMIER NEWSPAPER.
“Yes there was an attack in some villages in the early hours of today. Many people were killed and houses burnt. But we have since informed the security operatives,” he said.
The police is yet to react to the latest developments.
Contacted Tuesday afternoon, the Public Relations Officer of Kaduna Police Force, Yakubu Sabo, could not comment on the incident.
“I will get back to you,” he said.
The Sunday Attack
The Sunday ambush occoured in Ungwar Barde, the village where the recent violent attacks started some four weeks ago. In the February attack, 11 people were killed in the community.
The casualty figures for the latest attack are yet to be officially declared but the figures may well be over what was recorded in the first attack.
“Seventeen people died according to what I was told. They said they are still searching for more bodies,” a sympathiser who does not want himself named told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.
Gory pictures of the strike seen by this newspaper show that the victims were largely women and children.
The state government, in a statement on Sunday, condemned the violent attack and extended its sympathy to the community and the families of the victims.
The statement by Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, said more troops had been deployed to the community, while the Air Force was carrying out aerial surveillance.
The statement says, “Heads of security agencies in Kaduna State have informed Governor Nasir El-Rufai of an attack on Ungwan Barde community by unknown bandits, today, 10th March 2019. The government condemns this violent attack and extends its sympathy to the families of the victims and the entire community.
“The security agencies have informed the governor that measures are being taken to contain the situation and to secure the general area.
“More troops have been deployed to the community, while the Nigerian Air Force personnel are carrying out aerial surveillance and reconnaissance.”
