They Killed Women, Elderly People Who Could Not Run - Survivors Of Southern Kaduna Killings Recount Attacks

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According to SaharaReporters, survivors of the recent attacks on Southern Kaduna have narrated their ordeal in the hands of gunmen who stormed their communities, killing women and older people.

In separate interviews with SaharaReporters on Tuesday, they said aside from the killings, many houses were set on fire, rendering the residents homeless.

Many villagers have gone missing after the attack which lasted several hours last week despite the curfew imposed by the Kaduna State government.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, one of the victims, who identified himself as Joshua Buba, recalled that the latest attack on the Zikpak village happened on Friday evening while he was returning home to meet his family.

He noted that he and his cousin had gone to visit a friend in one of the villages and while returning, they saw people running in different directions.

“There were shouting, saying the attackers are near in the Hausa language,” he says.

Buba and his cousin, Haruna, had to take cover inside a farm in the area. Haruna got hit by a bullet in the bush.

He said, “I thought we had hidden well in the farm, but unfortunately, a bullet hit my cousin on his left leg. We couldn’t come out from hiding.

“We were in the bush for three hours before the attackers left . And while we were going home, we saw different houses that were set ablaze by the attackers. My cousin is still nursing the injuries on his leg. Many people were wounded.”

Another survivor, who simply identified himself as Philipha Audu, recounted the attack at Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna State.

He said the attackers killed those who could not escape, including women and elderly ones.

Audu, who had just relocated to Kaduna State from Zamfara, said the herdsmen targeted farming communities and killed several people in cold blood before setting their properties on fire.

“They are herdsmen. All of them wore black clothes. Immediately they entered into our village, they began to shoot sporadically and set peoples’ houses on fire.

“They kept chasing us as we ran. I had a serious wound on my hand. It is painful. The doctors said I would have to do an x-ray,” he said.

He added that two of his neighbours were shot dead in the chest by the attackers while they stole some properties of the deceased. They also set their houses on fire.