Birnin Gwari attack: 45 corpses recovered

At least about 45 corpses have been recovered after the attack by bandits on Gwaska village in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, Daily Trust heard from multiple sources.

Kaduna State Police Commissioner Austin Iwar told Reuters that “Yesterday (Saturday) we recovered 12 corpses and today (Sunday) we retrieved 33.”

A source who participated in the evacuation of dead bodies told Daily Trust that the bandits, believed to be from the Zamfara State, also burnt down the village, forcing survivors mostly women to take refuge at Doka district in the area.

“The gunmen spent over three hours attacking the area. Many injured persons have been taken to Birini Gwari hospital,” the source added.

“At the time we got to the village, houses were still up in flames, as we filled four Hilux vehicles with dead bodies,” the source, who does not want to be named, said.

He said more bodies may be found in the bush.

Members of the local government under the umbrella of the Birnin Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance said most of those killed were volunteers that tried to defend the village and children who could not escape the onslaught.

“We would continue to appeal to authorities to take urgent steps to forestall further attacks and extinction of communities in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State,” they said.

Daily Trust reports that the latest attack is coming barely one week after local miners at Janruwa village of Birnin Gwari local government area.

On a visit to the area last week, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris had announced the deployment of 200 additional policemen, 10 patrol vehicles and two more divisions.