No fewer than 20 people were in the early hours of yesterday killed, while several others were injured in fresh attacks on three communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The fresh killings came barely days after security agencies were deployed to the vulnerable communities of the state to prevent residents from further attacks.
The attack was said to have been carried out by suspected militia men in such communities as Kurmin Masara, Apyia Shyim, and Takmawai, as torrential rain-pounded the communities.
Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalinge, who confirmed the attack, described the incident as unfortunate.
He said: “21 persons were killed and three were injured. We have beefed up security there to prevent further occurrence. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain who the attackers were and to effect their arrest.’’
Chairman of Zango Kataf Local Government, Elias Manza, said the gunmen, suspected to be Fulani militia, invaded the three communities in the early hours of Thursday morning, and started shooting indiscriminately at peoples houses.
He explained that seven people were killed in Takmawai, while 13 others were killed in Kurmin Masara in what seemed like a coordinated attack.
A native, who craved anonymity, said the gunmen attacked the villages as rain continued all through the night.
He said: “They launched coordinated attacks on Apyia’Shyim, A’Piako, Atak’Mawei and Kibori villages all in Atyap Chiefdom of Zangon Kataf, which is among the local governments under 24-hour curfew since June 11. (Vanguard)