Gunmen are said to have killed at least 23 persons in Kaduna state’s Kaura LGA’s Mararaban Agban, Agban, and Adan areas.
Several others were also claimed to have been hurt, and the attackers were said to have razed roughly 70 homes.
A witness told reporters over the phone that the attacks happened at 7 p.m. on Sunday, when the three neighborhoods were encircled by criminals.
“They came around 7 pm and they divided themselves into three groups. One group attacked Mararaban Agban, the second group attacked Agban and the third group attacked Adan,” he said.
“They mounted their machine guns and started unleashing mayhem on the villagers.”
He said he went to the targeted communities early Monday morning and counted 20 bodies, while three others died in the hospital from bullet wounds.
“I just visited the three affected communities this morning– Mararaban Agban, Agban and Adan. They are neighbouring villages,” he said.
“I can say that I counted 23 corpses including three of the victims who died in the hospital of wounds from gunshots. I also counted about 70 houses that were burnt.
The community church, a primary school, and two unfinished buildings are the only structures left in Adan, according to the witness.
“In Agban half of the houses were burnt. In Mararaban Agban, a few houses were burnt. One woman was macheted, all in all, I counted 14 corpses in Mararaban Agban, three of the corpses were still on fire. I saw six dead bodies, including a woman and her three children,” he said.
“At Adan I did not see a dead body, but that is not to say no life was lost because I didn’t enter the bushes around the community.”
He said last week, the gunmen attempted to attack the communities on two occasions, but were repelled.
“Yesterday (Sunday), they came in their numbers, well armed, well coordinated and wrecked havoc on the villagers,” he said.
When contacted, Mohammed Jalige, spokesman of Kaduna state police command, said he was yet to receive a report on the incident.
