Anthony Iwuoma
Attackers suspected to be Fulani herdsmen attacked Gonan Rogo village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State early Tuesday morning, killing 17 people and injuring two others.
Confirming the alleged attack on Gonan-Rogo village, Kufana District, Kajuru Local government Area of the state, the President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Awema Maisamari: said: “The killing was in the early hours of Tuesday when gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, invaded the community.
“Some houses were also set ablaze by the bandits as the villagers, who were woken by the sound of gunshots, scampered for safety in different directions.
“The attackers were herdsmen, they invaded the community at about 1:00 am on Tuesday and started killing people. 12 people were killed on the spot, the corpses of others were recovered in the bush. There are those who sustained injuries.
“The bandits came to the village in large number, armed with guns, machetes and knives. Some of the villagers were killed with guns while others were hacked to death with machetes.
“About two hours after the bandits fled, the security personnel manning a checkpoint not too far from the community came. But they did not enter the community, they just stayed.”
However, the Kaduna State Police Command could not confirm the incident, as its spokesperson, Muhammad Jalige, said he would investigate and revert to newsmen.
In similar development, herdsmen also allegedly attacked a Benue community, killing two farmers.
The bloody attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Agasha community in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State, reportedly led to the deaths of two farmers.
The herdsmen had reportedly invaded the community late Monday night while the people slept.
The villagers, who were roused from sleep by sporadic gunshots scattered in different directions out of fear for their lives but two of them were not so lucky, as they were caught and hacked to death.
Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, the Field Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, confirmed the attack in a statement, adding that the attackers fled, as his men mobilised to the scene.
“Operation Whirl Stroke troops on patrol in the area immediately mobilised to the scene but the herdsmen had fled before their arrival.”
