Coordinated attacks by bandits on four villages in Atyap Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf LGA of Southern Kaduna have left 22 persons dead, reports say.
The bandits were said to have attacked the villages, Apyia’Shyim, A’Piako, Atak’Mawei, and Kibori, from 10 pm on Wednesday to the early hours of Thursday.
The attacks occurred in spite of a subsisting 24-hour curfew on Zangon Kataf and a few other local government areas in the state.
The Nation quoted an unnamed source as saying that the bandits took advantage of an all-night rain in the area to operate unchallenged.
“By the time they were done, 22 corpses have so far recovered at about 12pm today (Thursday) while the search is still on. They also burnt several houses,” the source was quoted as saying.
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Thirteen bodies have been recovered so far in Atak’Mawei village alone, a resident, Irimiya Gandu, said.
He noted that most of the victims were women and children.
Gandu added that efforts were still ongoing to recover more bodies, stressing that many houses were burnt in the attack.
In Apia’ahko village, an aged man, a little child and youth were identified as the victims.
A survivor, Samson Alat stated that five important houses were burnt in the community, including the house of late Col. Bobai.
He explained that though soldiers stormed the community on motorbikes and armoured tank, they could not stop the bandits.
In Apiashyim village, six persons were reported killed.
A resident, Jonathan Ishaya who gave the figure of the deceased added that the community was almost burnt to the ground.
The Secretary, Atyap Traditional Council, Mr Stephen Akut, confirmed the attacks, noting that security personnel have been dispatched to the affected areas.