John Shiklam in Kaduna
No fewer than 13 persons were reportedly killed at the weekend in Asso village, Jama’a Local Government Area in the southern part of Kaduna State after suspected herdsmen attacked the community.
The incident, according to a source in the village, occurred about 7.30 p.m. on Saturday when the herdsmen in large numbers invaded the community and started shooting sporadically.
In a phone interview, the source who pleaded to remain anonymous, said several people who ran for their dear lives sustained injuries from gunshots and were rushed to the hospital.
He said the attackers were heavily armed, adding that the operation lasted for about 30 minutes without any help from the security agencies deployed last December to stop the persistent killings in that part of the state.
The source said the attack, in the midst of heavy security presence in southern Kaduna, made residents lose confidence in the security personnel.
In the wake of the latest onslaught, Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, condemned the attack.
The governor, in a statement by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, condole with the families of the victims and urged the security agencies to redouble their efforts in fishing out the culprits and bring them to justice.
He called on communities in the area to support the military, which would soon embark on a special operation to flush out the bandits from their hideouts, to ensure that the exercise is successful.
The statement said agencies responsible for emergency services had been directed to offer relief to victims of the attack.
