The robbers who broke into the neighbourhood on Wednesday, July 27, also stole cattle and abducted other locals.
Garba Mailambu, a resident, told NAN that the gunmen were riding motorcycles and shooting erratically. He added that some fleeing residents perished when they dove into a nearby river.
Another local claimed that the robbers made the abducted people, who were mainly young people, escort the stolen livestock out of town.
According to reports, the gunmen also demanded a sizable amount of gasoline as ransom to free the kidnapped people.
The incident was verified by the state government on Friday, July 29 in a statement written by Muhammad Bello, the governor's special adviser for media and publicity.
Along with the heads of the Army, Air Force, Police, and Department of State Security (DSS), Governor Aminu Tambuwal observed Juma'at prayers in the neighbourhood as specific prayers were made for the victims' souls to find peace.
He claimed he came there to express sympathy on behalf of the state's administration and citizens following the disaster, which left roughly 28 people dead.
Tambuwal gave residents of the region the reassurance that the government and security services are making every effort to maintain peace throughout the state while pleading with Allah to forgive the deceased and grant them Jannatul Firdausi.
He pleaded with the security services for greater collaboration and prayed to Allah to keep granting them victories over bandits and other criminal elements.
The governor enlisted the help and cooperation of the populace, pleading with them to uncover informants who were providing the bandits with information.
In order for the society to live in harmony, he counselled, "We must therefore expose them, even if those involved are your relatives."
The governor ordered the immediate distribution of aid supplies to IDPs in the region.
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