Unknown gunmen have reportedly killed 20 people following attacks on Chibuak and Kigudu II communities in Kauru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state.
The two villages were reportedly attacked consecutively on Thursday and Friday at midnight, while some of the villagers are said to be missing.
The bandits were said to have launched yet another attack on Saturday in Kigudu II while the villagers were preparing for a mass burial for some of the Catholic victims.
The bandits were however repelled by security personnel and the burial was quickly done without the usual burial rites.
Blueprint reported that the Parish Priest of Damakasuwa Outstation, Rev. Fr. Aaron Tanko, who oversees the two communities, confirmed that 20 people were killed while some others were still missing.
He said in Chibuak village, nine people were killed, while 11 others were killed in Kigudu II.
According to him, “The attacks took place on Thursday and Friday at midnight. Chibuak was attacked on Thursday and nine people were killed. They attacked Kigudu II on Friday night and killed 11 people. Some people are still missing so I cannot conclusively say this is the casualty figure. Some of those killed are my parishioners, others are Protestants.
“We were preparing for the mass burial for our parishioners this morning (Saturday) in Kigudu II but we could not do it when the herdsmen came attacking us again. But they were repelled by the security personnel. Nobody was killed or injured. We couldn’t even conduct proper mass burial, we just offered simple prayers and they were buried.
“Many of our villagers are at the mercy of Fulani herdsmen. They are always well armed and they invade our communities and kill people at will. There are villages where people cannot even go to their farms for fear of being killed by herdsmen.
“We appealed to government to address these incessant attacks on our communities and killings by herdsmen,” the cleric said.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammad Jalige, said he wlould get information concerning the incidents and get back to the press when he was asked to confirm the attacks.
