A woman and her six children have reportedly been killed by unidentified gunmen on Saturday during an attack on Kauru and Lere local government areas of Kaduna State.
Others were said to have sustained injuries and were declared missing.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, alleged that the attacks were a reprisal following the Thursday attack on Gora Gan in Zangon Kataf local government area resulting in the loss of seven lives and the burning of 13 houses and two shops.
The statement explained that the information regarding the attacks in Kauru and Lere local government areas were passed on to the government by the military and the police.
It explained that aggrieved youths carried out the attacks as a result of the killing of seven persons at Zangon Kataf.
It said seven herders were killed in the counter-attack at Ungwan ldi and Kasheku villages of Kauru local government area while two herders were injured at Ningi village of Lere local government area.
The statement gave the names of those killed at Ungwan ldi and Kasheku villages in Kauru local government area as Mustapha Haruna (one year old), Ya’u Kada (one), Sa’idu Abdullahi (one), Zainab Zakari (one), Sadiya Abdullahi (five), Aisha Abdullahi (one), and one unidentified woman burnt beyond recognition.
It further explained that five persons were declared missing, while six houses were razed during the attacks.
It said the two wounded in Kauru reprisal and are receiving treatment at Ungwan ldi clinic are Aisha Mohammed (20) and Sadiya Abdullahi (25).
In Lere local government area, the Commissioner noted that the two herders injured at Ningi village are Bingel Odi (31) and seven-year-old Isa Joda, stressing that they are currently receiving treatment at General hospital, Saminaka.
The statement quoted Governor Nasir El-Rufai as condemning the counter-attacks.
Gov. El-Rufai commiserated with families of those who lost their loved ones during the unfortunate attacks and wished those recuperating a speedy recovery.
He described the killings of Atyap and Fulani community members as unfortunate.
He lamented a situation people resort to violence, saying that it was not a solution to grievances and disputes, but a tragic way to escalate matters and drag people into more pain and misery.
The Governor then directed the State Emergency Management Agency to immediately provide relief to the affected families.
