A pregnant woman was among 16 persons killed Sunday night in Numa village of Akwanga local government area of Nasarawa state by gunmen.
Disclosing the unfortunate incident to newsmen Monday, the chairman of Akwanga LGA, Mr Samuel Mashi, said the gunmen attacked the community about 10pm during a naming ceremony.
“They just started shooting sporadically on a community that was just having merriment.
“Unfortunately, 16 people were killed in cold blood for just no reason,” he said.
The chairman said security had been beefed up in the affected community and environs to forestall reprisal attacks and further breakdown of law and order.
Similarly, the Chun-Mada, chairman Akwanga traditional council, Mr Samson Gamu-Yare, described the attack as barbaric.
He added that, apart from the 16 people killed, so many others were injured and were receiving treatment in various hospitals.
He called on the state and federal governments to urgently fish out the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to book.
The monarch urged people of the affected community to remain law abiding even in the face of the unprovoked attack.
Confirming the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Mohammed Akira, said the state police command had mobilised to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
Gunmen had in March this year attacked and killed people in Merte and Nandem communities of the same LGA.
