Gunmen Attack Wedding Ceremony, Kill 13 Guests, Abduct Others In Kaduna

At least 13 people have reportedly lost their lives after bandits attacked a wedding ceremony in Kahir village, in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to Daily Trust, an eyewitness who spoke on the incident said the attackers, carrying AK-47 rifles, stormed the wedding venue and started shooting inside the hall on Sunday night, March 29.

Several people who suffered gunshot wounds were taken to Kagarko General Hospital for treatment, while two others with more serious injuries were moved to Kaduna for advanced care.

“In fact, there are two of my friends who were inside the hall that also sustained bullet injuries during the  attack. But one cannot ascertain the number of those that were k!dnapped because of the sporadic shootings,” the source said.

A community leader, who preferred anonymity, also confirmed the incident and listed some of the victims who were killed during the attack.

The victims include Bako Danjuma, Williams Luka, Peter Williams, Joseph Yakubu, Victor Peter, John Dan Asabe, Angulu Markus, Maikano Aribi, Douglas John Ado Yakubu, Zaphaniah Alhaji, Joseph Kaddah and Francis Unguwa Doya.

He further revealed that the bandits operated freely in the community for nearly an hour without resistance.

According to him, the attackers also broke into shops in the area and made away with food items, household provisions, and drugs from a local chemist’s store.

The community leader said those killed in the incident have already been buried, adding that the community had not yet made contact with those holding the abducted victims.

“In fact, the entire people of the community were thrown into pandemonium because of the sporadic shooting by the bandits that Sunday, night to the extent some people had to flee into the bush,” he said.

A police source at the Kagarko division also confirmed the attack but said authorities were still trying to verify the exact number of people taken away.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Hassan Mansur, confirmed both the killings and the abductions, adding that the command would later release a full report on the incident.

KanyiDaily also reported how gunmen attacked three churches in Kaduna State, and kidnapped more than 100 worshippers during Sunday services.