Armed bandits attacked, killed and burnt houses in Kakangi village, South West of Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State on Saturday in broad daylight.
The bandits stormed Kakangi around 5pm on motorcycles, shooting sporadically at the police station before going on a house-to-house attack and torching them.
An escapee, said to be at Gagumi, about 20 kilometres from Kakangi, as at the time of this report, said: “We were sitting in front of the police station and suddenly bandits heavily started shooting.
“I jumped through the fence to escape.
“As I was escaping, thick smoke from several locations overshadowed the sky.”
Several sources said many people were feared dead, including high profile indigenes of Kakangi, that were attending a mass wedding.
Security situation has worsened due to armed banditry and kidnapping in the area.
Many communities, particularly along Birnin-Gwari-Funtua Road, had deserted their homes and taken refuge in Birnin-Gwari and elsewhere.
Six people with various degrees of injuries from gunshots are said to be at the General Hospital, Birnin-Gwari.
One policeman was confirmed dead, while several shops at Kakangi village market were burnt to ashes.
Rescue and search operation is said to be ongoing, with some people missing or abducted.