A suspected bandit attack on a wedding ceremony in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has left at least 13 people dead and many others kidnapped.

The attack, which happened late Sunday night at about 11:47 p.m., has triggered fresh fears over rising, deteriorating security in rural communities across the state.

According to a local source, the gunmen, who stormed the wedding venue in large numbers, were armed with sophisticated weapons, and they opened fire indiscriminately on guests.

Shehu Bala, a resident of the community, said the attack threw the villagers into chaos, forcing wedding guests to run for their lives.

“They came in large numbers and started shooting sporadically. People were running in different directions. Many were hit by bullets,” he said.

Bala noted that many victims sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to the General Hospital in Kagarko, while those in critical condition were referred to facilities in Kaduna for more advanced treatment.

He further stated that the total number of kidnapped persons could not be immediately ascertained due to the confusion that trailed the attack.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a community representative said the assailants operated for nearly one hour without any resistance from security personnel.

“They attacked the wedding and later moved around the village, looting shops and carting away food items, provisions and even medical supplies,” the source said.

He revealed that many residents fled into nearby bushes as the sound of gunshots echoed throughout the community.

It was gathered that the victims have been buried, while efforts to establish contact with the kidnappers have not yielded results.

The community representative gave the names of some of those killed as Bako Danjuma, Maikano Aribi, Douglas John, Ado Yakubu, Williams Luka, Peter Williams, Joseph Yakubu, Victor Peter, John Dan Asabe, Angulu Markus, Joseph Kaddah, Francis Unguwa Doya and Zaphaniah Alhaji.

Confirming the event, a police official in Kagarko noted that security agencies had commenced efforts to determine the number of those abducted and track down the perpetrators.

DSP Hassan Mansur, spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, also confirmed the attack, promising that a detailed report would be made available after preliminary investigations.

“We are aware of the incident, and investigations are ongoing. A comprehensive report will be released in due course,” Mansur said.