No fewer than eight people have been killed by gunmen suspected to be bandits across five local government areas in Kaduna state.

The gunmen were said to have attacked Kajuru, Chikun, Giwa, Kauru, and Igabi local government areas in the early hours of Sunday.

In Kajuru, gunmen invaded the Buda community and opened fire on the residents, killing three people, while many others sustained various degrees of injury.

It was also gathered that another middle-aged was hacked to death by unknown persons in the area.

Meanwhile, some unconfirmed number of people were said to have been abducted from their homes during the operations in various communities in the area.

In the other local governments, the gunmen also killed four people, while some other residents have been declared missing.

Shortly after the attacks, the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, condemned the act, describing the incidents as actions of criminality and sheer evil.

A statement by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, on Sunday, said the Governor received briefs on the situations in Kidandan, Rigachikun, Kuyanbana, Buruku general area, and also Buda, within the five LGAs listed, and condoled with families who lost their loved ones in the attacks.

The statement explained that despite the recent attacks, the Kaduna State Government will continue to work with security agencies in the ongoing operations against bandits, being coordinated by the Defence Headquarters.

He urged communities to strongly stand together and confront criminality.

The governor noted that bandits should not be allowed to inflict such pain and then have their actions divide their victims along religious and ethnic lines.

“This criminality is an attack on our unity and collective well-being. Government condoles with the families that lost their loved ones to the sheer criminality of the bandits. Security agencies have been directed to double up and intensify operations against bandits and raids on their hideouts.”

The Governor, however, welcomed the peace pact between Dangoma, Takau, and Zikpak communities in Jema’a local government area.

He described the move as a step towards restoring peace and charged the communities to uphold their obligations in the agreement to secure peace and advance development in the state. (Channels TV)

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