No fewer than 45 persons have been reportedly killed by armed bandits In a renewed attack on the people of Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State.
The armed bandits who were on motorbikes, said to have stormed Gwaska village of Birnin Gwari local government at about 2:30pm Saturday and carried out massacre for over three hours shooting sporadically and setting ablaze houses.
They killed mostly Women and Children.
A source from the area who pleaded anonymity, said the arm bandits may have come from a neighbouring Zamfara state to carry out the attack killing mostly children.
It would be recalled that similar attack was meted on local miners at Janruwa village in the same Birnin Gwari local government area about a week ago.
According to the source, some of those who survived the attack are presently taking refuge in Doka village while the injured ones are receiving treatment at the Birnin Gwari general hospital.
Meanwhile, a non governmental organization under the auspices of Birnin Gwari vanguard for peace and good governance who confirmed the attack, said most of the casualties were volunteers who tried to defend the village and children who could not escape.
According to them, the town is currently in tears, sorrow and in horrific situation.
“So far about forty-five dead bodies were evacuated by the braved vigilantes and volunteers numbering five hundred with assistance of handful soldiers this afternoon,” they said.
One of the vigilantes said “the tensed atmosphere and untidy nature of the village environment necessitate the evacuation of forty-five bodies discovered for burial rites in Birnin-Gwari town”
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Also one the volunteers said, search and rescue operation in ongoing at Gwaska, saying, “death toll may rise as many bodies are likely to be found in the bush”.
When the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Mukhtar Aliyu was called for reaction, he said, details of the attack is being gathered.
