Gunmen kill family of seven in Kaduna

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in a midnight raid on Thursday wiped out a family of seven at Manyi Akuru village, a suburb of Manchok town in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Manchok, a town about 200km south of Kaduna, the capital city of Kaduna State, has  witnessed some communal clashes in recent times.

The suspected Fulani herdsmen reportedly stormed Manchok around midnight.

Angry youths of Manchok later mobilised and attacked a Fulani settlement close to the town. But a detachment of army stationed around the area averted a reprisal.

Though, there has been no official confirmation from the police in Kaduna, a policeman in the community, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the attack and said the death toll might increase.

The state governor, Muktar Yero, has visited Manchok for  on the spot assessment of the attack.

It was gathered that while he was addressing the residents of the community, another attack took place in a nearby village where several people also lost their lives.

The governor has  condemned the attack and expressed hope that the perpetrators would be apprehended.

Yero, through his spokesman, Mallam Ahmed Mayaki, said he was deeply touched by the attack, describing it as heinous and ungodly.

Yero said he was shocked by the attack and ordered a full scale investigation into the matter.

He promised to empower vigilante groups that would patrol the area.

A statement signed by the governor's spokesman states in part, 'Governor Mukhtar Yero visited Ungwar Kajit in Manchok Community of Kaura LGA over an attack by unknown assailants describing the heinous act as ungodly and condemnable.

'We pray that God should expose the people that are causing this problem. We pray that God should touch their hearts to stop such dastardly acts or destroy their evil machinations.

'Governor Yero who was visibly shocked by the unfortunate incident, called on the people in the community to remain calm as government would scale up its  strategies to improve security, especially in border communities. He said he would look into ways of dealing with this situation, because this community is porous.'

'The governor pleaded with the people of Ungwan Kajit to remain calm. He said as a leader, it was my responsibility to ensure security and peace for the entire people of the state.'