Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed one person and abducted seven others during an attack on a community in Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria, residents say.
The attackers reportedly stormed Sabon Gyero, a community in Millennium City in Chikun Local Government Area, in the early hours of Monday.
According to local sources, the gunmen entered a residence and abducted three women and four children.
During the raid, the attackers also targeted a nearby phone charging centre where they shot and killed a young man identified as Abdullahi Lawal, popularly known as “Kurma”.
Residents said the gunmen stole several mobile phones and laptops from the shop before fleeing the area.
Mr Lawal, who was deaf and unable to speak, was said to have suffered a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to a hospital but died before receiving treatment.
He was later buried in the community according to Islamic burial rites.
Security officials said they responded after hearing gunshots in the area. The Commandant of the Joint Task Force in the area, Uwaisu Yunusa, said security personnel attempted to pursue the attackers but they had already escaped.
“Our men heard gunshots and quickly moved to the area. We tried to pursue the attackers but they had already fled before we arrived,” he said.
As of the time of reporting, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official statement on the incident.
Bandit attacks and kidnappings for ransom have become a persistent security challenge in parts of north-western Nigeria, including Kaduna State.
