Gunmen invade Kaduna community, kill village head, wife, burn houses, churches

Gunmen suspected to be militia have killed a village head, Gowon Mutua and his wife, Hauwa, while razing down homes and churches in the Ramin Kura community in Badurim Sama ward of Kauru local government area of Kaduna State, in the early hours of Sunday.

A security official who from the community, who confirmed the incident to Ripples Nigeria on the condition of anonymity, said the early morning attack was carried out by herdsmen who invaded the village and headed straight to the residence of the village chief and shot him and the wife after gaining entrance into the compound.

According to a security personnel, the gunmen invaded the agrarian community which shares border with Zangon Kataf local government area at about 4:30am, and began shooting sporadically as residents ran into nearby bushes for safety.

“I can confirm that the assailants were armed Fulani herdsmen. Many of the villagers have also confirmed this.

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“They have been having issues with the villagers who have been against their indiscriminate grazing where they destroy farmlands and food crops.

“So on Sunday morning, at about 4:30am, they invaded the village and began shooting sporadically. As the people ran into the bushes for safety, they moved to the residence of the village head, Chief Gowon Mutua where they shot him dead alongside his wife, Madam Hauwa.

“They also burnt down many houses, food silos and farmlands in the village, including two churches,” he said.

At the time of going to press, the state Police Command spokesman, DSP Abubakar Jalige, could not be reached as calls to his phone were not picked.

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