At least 13 individuals were killed and an undetermined number of guests were kidnapped when suspected bandits stormed a wedding celebration in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
The attack happened late on Sunday night when the attackers broke into the premises and started shooting at the celebrants.
The highly armed assailants reportedly operated for almost an hour without encountering any opposition.
Shehu Bala, a resident, claimed that around 11:47 p.m., the gunmen showed up and started shooting inside the wedding hall, frightening the attendees.
He was cited as stating, “In fact, two of my friends who were inside the hall that also sustained bullet injuries during the attack.”
While those with more severe injuries were sent to Kaduna for additional care, some injured victims were taken to Kagarko General Hospital.
Thirteen persons lost their lives in the incident, according to a local official. The victims have already been buried, he claimed, and the number of kidnapped people is still being investigated.
He claims that during the raid, the attackers stole food, supplies, and drugs from a nearby pharmacy in addition to looting nearby stores.
“The heavy gunfire caused the entire community to go into panic, forcing some residents to flee into the bush,” the community head stated.
The event was confirmed by Kagarko police authorities, who added that they are still gathering information, particularly on the number of abducted individuals.
The killings and kidnappings were also confirmed by DSP Hassan Mansur, the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, who added that a comprehensive report will be made public after the investigations are over.
In the meantime, it was claimed that a serving senator and Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, the deputy governor of Kaduna State, visited the injured victims at the Kagarko hospital.
