At least 20 persons have been killed and property destroyed in an attack by unknown armed bandits on Godogodo village in Jemaa Local Government Area of Kaduna State in northern Nigeria.
An indigene of the local government told Channels Television, that the gunmen invaded Godogodo village On Saturday night shooting sporadically and setting buildings ablaze.
“In the process they killed 20 persons while several others were injured,” the indigene said.
“The entire community has been deserted. Residents have fled from their homes for fear of being attacked by the armed bandits,” he added.
The gunmen were said to have also ambushed a police patrol team in the area on Friday evening, opened fire on them and in the process killed two policemen and injured one.
The spokesman for the police in the state, Aliyu Usman, confirmed the attack to Channels Television’s correspondent, Chimezie Enyiocha.
He says the State Police Command is assessing the situation to ascertain the number of casualties.
More mobile and conventional policemen have been deployed to Godogodo, Kafanchan and other neighbouring communities to restore order and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the meantime, a dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in the affected areas by the interim Chairman of Jemaa Local Government Area, Mr Humble Katuka, until normalcy returns to the area.
In his reaction to the attack, the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, described the incident as barbaric, inhumane and unwarranted.
Speaking through his Deputy, Mr Bala Bantex, the governor appealed to residents of the community to remain calm and law abiding, assuring them that the government would do everything within its powers to restore peace in the area.
He also cautioned them not to embark in any form of reprisal attacks.
Communities in Jemaa Local Government and Sanga Local Government Areas in Kaduna State have witnessed series of attacks that have left scores of people dead.
In August this year, gunmen attacked three villages, Godogodo, Akwa’a and Anguwan Anjo.
Eleven persons were killed in that attack, with several houses and farmlands destroyed.
