Residents of Ugama village in Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, are reeling in fear after a brutal attack by suspected cattle rustlers on Thursday. The attack involved ritual killings, arson, and theft of property.
Eyewitnesses reported that at least 20 people were killed, and several others sustained injuries during the attack. According to Malam Yusufa Ugama, a resident who narrowly escaped, the attackers also looted livestock and set the village ablaze after committing the murders.
“The attackers were armed with guns, machetes, and knives, and they referred to themselves as cattle rustlers,” Yusufa said.
Sources allege that the attackers, identified as Fulani, may have acted due to ongoing disputes over the sale of village farmland involving the villagers and their chief.
The Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansur Hassan, confirmed the incident but noted that no formal complaints had been lodged by the villagers or any group concerning the attack or the alleged ritual killings.
The community remains in shock as authorities investigate the incident.