Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed killing of 21 lacal residents of Banono and Angwan Aku villages in troubled Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In 2019, more than 200 persons have been gruesomely murdered while many houses have been razed in neighbouring Kajuru and Sanga local government areas of the state and about 10,000 people, mainly women and children, rendered homeless by their assailants.
Confirming the development in Kaduna, yesterday, Spokesman for the Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said the armed men stormed the affected villages on motorbikes around 9:30am, on Monday, and started shooting and burning houses.
He said: “In 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 which are remote neighbouring villages in Kufana district of Kajuru local government area.
“The attackers started shooting sporadically attacking the villagers and in the process shot and killed 21 people, injured three others and torched 10 houses. The bandits also rustled about 50 cows.
“Combine Teams of PMF personnel, conventional police, Army and the local Vigilante were promptly mobilised to the area, repelled the attack and evacuated both the dead and the injured to hospital while efforts are on to apprend the fleeing criminals, reinforcement of more Police Operatives have been drafted to the area for intensive combing and patrol with a view to forestall further breakdown of Law and Order/Reprisal and arrest the perpetrators.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdur-Rahman is saddened by this attack and has reiterated the Command’s commitment to apprehend the culprits. He sincerely condoled the affected families on the irreparable losses.
“The Command appeals to 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.”