100 killed as gunmen invade Kaduna villages

Gunmen have attacked three villages in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The attackers, it was gathered, invaded the three villages of Ugwar Sankwai, Ungwar Gata and Chenshyi on Friday night when the villagers were fast asleep.

The attackers burnt down houses, while villagers who attempted to escape during the attack were gunned down or macheted by the attackers numbering over 40.

One of the villagers, Nuhu Moses, who managed to escape from the scene of the attack said in one village alone no fewer than 50 people were killed.

He said, “The attackers were more than 40, armed with dangerous knives, guns and other sophisticated weapons.

“Over 50 people were killed in our village alone and there is no house standing. All the houses were burnt by the attackers while people who attempted to run were gunned down.

“I was just lucky to have escaped but our Pastor’s wife, and kids were among the people that were butchered.”

A resident of Ungwar Sankwai, Jonathan Bako, simply described his escape as a miracle.

The Kaduna Command of the Nigeria Police Force, confirmed the incident.

Its spokesman, Aminu Lawan, DSP, said a detachment of policemen had been deployed to the area while the command had begun investigation into the attack.

Vice Chairman of the council, Daniel Anyip, who stood in for the Chairman, Kumai Bodu, who was away to China, also confirmed that several houses were set ablaze by the attackers.

He said women and children were not spared.

He said, “There is no justification for this inhuman act.

“From our records, in all the three villages attacked, only five houses are standing while people killed are about 100. These are villages that housed a lot of people but they are now homeless.”

Meanwhile, the State Governor, Mukhtar Yero, through his spokesman, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, has condemned the attack, describing it as “ungodly and barbaric”.

Yero, who vowed to bring the perpetrators to book, ordered for a full scale investigation into the attack.

The Governor condoled with the victims of the attacks and assured them of his administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property of the entire people of the state.

The governor also appealed to the attacked communities to remain calm and law abiding as security operatives were already on top of the situation.

Yero said,”This ugly situation is unacceptable and we will step up efforts to improve surveillance and curtail future occurrence.

“We pray that God would expose the people that are causing this problem. We pray that God would touch their hearts to stop such dastardly acts or destroy their evil machinations.

“We must not despair under this brazen attacks, as a leader, I am not happy with such ugly situations because it is my responsibility to ensure Security and safety for the entire people of the State.”

While condemning the attack, a southern Kaduna group, Centrum Initiative for Development and Rights Advocacy wondered how such an attack could take place for several hours, yet the security agencies were not avail to apprehend the attackers.

CEDRA’s spokesman, Dr. John Danfulani, said the attack was nothing but a gradual genocide and extinction of the people of the Southern part of the state.

He noted that the state government and its agents were just playing politics with the insecurity in the area and warned that the patience of the people of the area was fast running out.

Danfulani said, “We condemn in strong terms Friday night’s killings that took place in Ungwan Gata, Me-Sankwai and Tekum villages by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Moro’a Chief of Kaura local government area.

“The said killings in three villages ran up to early hours of Saturday and at the end over 100 innocent Southern Kaduna villagers/peoples were butchered and killed by the assailants with impunity. It is gradual genocide and extinction.

“It is clear that the state government and their agents are only playing politics with the insecurity ravaging Southern Kaduna region. They should know that posterity will judge them and they have began journey into political wilderness as blood of our helpless villagers is on their heads.”