Many residents are feared dead when armed groups attacked Kaduna villages and burned homes

Several residents are feared dead while many houses were burnt down in an attack by gunmen on Chawai community in Kauru Local Government Area of ​​Kaduna State on Sunday evening.

The attack forced residents to flee amid fears of further violence.

One resident, Mark Vincent, told the BBC Hausa Service that around 50 gunmen stormed the community as night fell and went house to house shooting residents for almost three hours before leaving.

He said 28 bodies had been deposited in the morgue, two victims had been buried, and seven others were being treated for gunshot wounds. He dismissed suggestions that the attack was a clash between farmers and herders, and said that the victims were killed in their homes.

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These figures could not be independently verified as of press time, and the Kaduna State Police Command has not issued an official statement.

Police spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, said a statement would follow in due course.

The Kaduna State Government has condemned the killing of several people in Naridon village, Kamaru Ward in Kauru, and described it as an attack on border communities between Kaduna and Ganawuri in Riyom LGA of Plateau State.

Governor Uba Sani, directed security agencies to intensify operations to arrest the perpetrators and ordered the State Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance to the affected families.

Information Commissioner, Ahmed Maiyaki, said the government is working with Plateau State, security agencies and traditional institutions to strengthen security along the shared border, urging citizens to remain calm and support operations with credible information.