Armed bandits stormed a wedding celebration in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State late Sunday night, killing 13 people on the spot and carting off an undisclosed number of guests.
An eyewitness, Shehu Bala, said the attackers arrived at the venue around 11:47pm wielding AK-47 rifles and opened fire indiscriminately inside the hall, cutting down 13 people instantly. Several other guests sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to Kagarko General Hospital, with two critically injured victims later transferred to Kaduna for specialist care. Bala disclosed that two of his personal friends were among those shot during the attack.
A community leader, who requested anonymity citing security concerns, confirmed the incident and provided the names of those killed. He revealed that the gunmen operated freely for close to an hour without any security challenge, and extended their rampage beyond the wedding hall — looting nearby shops and carting away food items, household provisions and drugs from a local pharmacy. He added that the deceased had since been buried and that no communication had been received from those holding the abducted victims.
“The entire community was thrown into confusion as residents fled into the bush due to the sporadic shooting,” the community leader said.
Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Hassan Mansur, confirmed the attack but noted that the number of persons abducted was still being verified, promising a comprehensive report once full details were gathered.
Security operatives have since launched a pursuit operation to track the fleeing gunmen and rescue those taken hostage. Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, alongside Senator Sani Musa, paid a visit to survivors receiving treatment at Kagarko General Hospital.
The attack is the latest in a string of violent incidents plaguing communities in the region. Neighbouring Janjala and surrounding villages have faced sustained bandit raids in recent weeks. In one earlier incident, 14 people — including a vigilante and his wife — were abducted roughly three weeks ago and remain in captivity, with their abductors reportedly demanding a N14 million ransom for their release.
