Heavily armed gunmen have killed at least 34 persons in Madami Community of Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State, in fresh bloody attack that occurred Sunday night.
The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan confirmed the incident in a statement.
According to Mr. Aruwan, seven other persons sustained injuries during the attack while several houses were set ablaze during the operation that lasted several hours.
He said troops mobilized to the location engaged the bandits in a gun battle before the assailants withdrew after intense pressure.
The commissioner disclosed that two suspects are being questioned in connection with the attack, adding that security agencies are already conducting operations in the general area.
He also said that the troops were able to put out the fire at three of the burning houses, and rescued six locals from the inferno.
Wielding guns and machetes, the men entered the Madamai and Abum on foot around 1 or 2 a.m., said resident Bobby Gwaza.
“The men came and killed my wife and four of my sisters,” he said, and provided photographs of corpses he said were discovered later on Monday.
The attackers, whose numbers were obscured in the night, burned down many houses and sent most residents fleeing before leaving after about an hour without meeting any resistance from Nigerian law enforcement or security forces, Gwaza said.
He said he did not know why the men attacked Madamai, but that it was not the first time.
The second resident, Michael Magaji, said armed bandits came in large numbers, shooting sporadically and killed about 30 people.
Reacting to the massacre, Governor Nasir El-Rufai condemned the attack, describing it as an unspeakable display of wickedness, meriting the severest form of punishment.
El-Rufai, said that the Kaduna State Government will bear the full cost of injured victims’ treatment.
He also ordered an urgent assessment of the area by the State Emergency Management Agency, towards the provision of succor to the affected households.
The governor, however, appealed for calm and charged security agencies to intensify their efforts in the campaign against the gratuitous killing of innocent citizens.
He further tasked security agencies to ensure urgent and precise investigations into the horrific incident.