Suspected armed bandits have attacked the Birnin Gwari community of Kaduna State killing 18 people.

The attack happened around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday when the bandits stormed the community killing some residents and robbing others.

A resident of the community told newsmen that 10 people sustained injuries during the attack.

“They came here in the evening just some minutes before sunset,” he said, adding that the gunmen started “firing sporadically immediately they entered the community.”

“They’ve robbed all the shops out there and stolen people’s money and mobile phones,” the resident who only asked to be identified as Ibrahim said

“I don’t know exactly how many people died but we buried about 18 people this (Sunday) morning,” Mr Ibrahim told newsmen in Hausa Sunday morning.

Kaduna Police Confirm Killings

In a telephone interview with newsmen Sunday morning, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the killings.

He said there was an attack yesterday evening and “18 people were killed.”

“Our men visited the scene of the incident Sunday morning and we are on top of the situation to prevent further occurrence of the event.”

Communities in Kaduna, like those of other states in the North-west, have been repeatedly attacked by bandits leading to the deaths of several people and kidnap of others.

The attacks have continued despite the heavy deployment of security operatives including soldiers to the states.