At least thirteen people have been reported dead after armed bandits attacked a wedding celebration in Kahir village, located in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Sunday night, March 29.
An eyewitness who spoke to Daily Trust said the attackers, wielding AK-47 rifles, stormed the venue and began shooting indiscriminately inside the hall. Several victims who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to Kagarko General Hospital, while two others with more serious injuries were taken to Kaduna for further treatment.
“In fact, there are two of my friends who were inside the hall that also sustained bullet injuries during the attack. But one cannot ascertain the number of those that were k!dnapped because of the sporadic shootings.”
A community leader, who chose to remain anonymous, also confirmed the incident and listed some of the victims as Bako Danjuma, Williams Luka, Peter Williams, Joseph Yakubu, Victor Peter, John Dan Asabe, Angulu Markus, Maikano Aribi, Douglas John Ado Yakubu, Zaphaniah Alhaji, Joseph Kaddah, and Francis Unguwa Doya.
He added that the attackers operated freely for nearly an hour, during which they also looted nearby shops, making away with food items, provisions, and drugs from a local chemist.
According to him, the victims have since been buried, while no communication has yet been established with the abductors.
“In fact, the entire people of the community were thrown into pandemonium because of the sporadic shooting by the bandits that Sunday, night to the extent some people had to flee into the bush,”the community leader said.
A police source at the Kagarko division also confirmed the attack but noted that the exact number of abducted persons is still unknown.
The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Hassan Mansur, also verified the killings and abductions, adding that a detailed statement on the incident would be released later.