A retaliatory attack by Kataf youths in Kaduna state has left six people dead including a woman and six children.

The unfortunate incident is a reprisal killings in Kauru Local Government Area, following a similar attack in Zangon Kataf on Thursday.

It would be recalled that on Thursday night gunmen had attacked Gora Gan community in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state, killing seven people.

Confirming the incident, the state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said the military under the auspices of Operation Safe Haven and the police have informed the Kaduna State Government of counter attacks on some herder settlements in Kauru and Lere local government areas.

According to Mr Aruwan, quoting operational feedback from the security agencies, the attacks were carried out by aggrieved youths, following the killing of seven persons on Thursday night in Gora Gan, Zangon Kataf local government.

“The security agencies reported that seven herders were killed in a counter killing in Ungwan Idi and Kasheku villages of Kauru local government while two herders were injured at Ningi village of Lere local government.

Mr Aruwan said the seven herders killed at Ungwan Idi and Kasheku villages in Kauru local government are Mustapha Haruna (one year), Ya’u Kada (one year), Sa’idu Abdullahi (one year), Zainab Zakari (one year), Sadiya Abdullahi (five years), Aisha Abdullahi (one year) and one unidentified woman burnt beyond recognition

The commissioner said five persons are still missing and troops are searching for them in the general area.

He added that six huts were burnt in the attack.

Mr Aruwan added that Aisha Mohammed (20 years) and Sadiya Abdullahi (25 years), who were wounded in the Kauru LGA reprisal attack are receiving medical attention at Ungwan Idi Clinic.

He said at Ningi village of Lere local government area, the two herders, Bingel Odi (31 years) and Isa Joda (Seven years), were injured and rushed to General Hospital, Saminaka, in the same local government:

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai who condemned the renewed counter killings sent condolences to the families that lost their loved and wished those recuperating speedy recovery,” Mr Aruwan said.

The governor described the renewed killing and counter killing of innocent citizens of Atyap and Fulani ethnicity as unfortunate. He decried the resort to violence, noting that it is not a solution to grievances and disputes, but a tragic way to escalate matters and drag people into more pains and misery.

The governor directed the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to provide relief materials to the affected families with immediate effect