The Kaduna State Police Command have confirmed the attack on Ungwan Aku village, in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state in which 20 people were reportedly killed on Monday.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said 21, not 20 people as earlier reported, were killed by suspected bandits in two communities in Kajuru.
The spokesman added that during the attack, three persons sustained gunshot injuries, while 10 houses were razed.
Sabo said the bandits also rustled 50 cows after unleashing mayhem on the communities.
He said the bandits attacked two villages — Banono and Ungwan Aku, all in Kajuru LGA.
According to him, a group of armed men in large numbers riding on motorbikes invaded Bonono and Ungwan Aku, shooting at anything in sight.
The police chief said in a statement on Tuesday: “On 08/04/’19 at about 0930HRS, we received a distress call that a group of armed men in large number on motor bikes entered Banono and Anguwan Aku; both are remote neighbouring villages in Kufana district of Kajuru LGA.
“The attackers started shooting, attacking the villagers and in the process, shot and killed twenty one persons (21), injured three (3) others and torched ten (10) houses. The bandits also rustled about fifty (50) cows.”
The spokesman continued that during the attack, a combined team of Police Mobile Force personnel, regular Police, the Nigerian Army and the local vigilante were promptly mobilised to the area, repelled the attack and evacuated both the dead and the injured to hospital.
He noted that efforts were on to apprehend the fleeing suspected bandits, adding also that more Police operatives had been deployed to comb and patrol the areas with a view to forestall further breakdown of law and order or reprisal attack and arrest the perpetrators.
He expressed the Command’s commitment through the Commissioner of Police, Abdulrahman Ahmad, to apprehend the perpetrators of the crime and bring them to justice.
“The Command appeals to members of the public to continue to assist the Police with useful information that could help in addressing these challenges and for the possible arrest of these criminals,” the spokesman said.
PUNCH