No fewer than seven persons have been killed, while one other sustained gunshot wounds, following an attack by suspected gunmen on Damakasuwa community in Chawai Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The assailants reportedly stormed the community around 8 p.m. on Friday, shooting sporadically and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
Eyewitnesses said the assault threw the entire village into panic as gunshots rang out for several minutes without any immediate intervention from security operatives.
Confirming the incident, the Paramount Chief of Chawai, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad, said five victims were killed instantly, while two others later died from their injuries.
“The incident has heightened tension in the area, but normalcy has been restored due to the presence of military personnel. We’ve urged our people to remain calm and allow the security agencies to do their work,” the monarch told PUNCH.
A youth leader, Barnabas Chawai, said the attackers opened fire indiscriminately on residents who were either retiring to bed or engaged in evening activities.
“They came when people were going about their normal routines. Six died on the spot, while one person with a gunshot wound to the throat was taken to Jos for treatment,” he said.
Residents said the fresh assault had reignited fear across neighbouring communities in the Chawai axis, which has witnessed a series of killings, kidnappings, and armed attacks in recent months.
As of press time, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, were unsuccessful as calls and messages sent to his phone were not returned.
Kauru Local Government, located in Southern Kaduna, remains one of the state’s most volatile flashpoints, with recurring cases of banditry and communal violence claiming dozens of lives over the years.
