Death toll from attack in Nigeria's Kaduna state hits 130

The death toll from an attack last week by gunmen in northwestern Nigeria’s Kaduna State has doubled to more than 130 people, the state governor said on Tuesday, adding that the motive appeared to be ethnic.

Nasir el-Rufai told reporters that police were still investigating the gunmen’s motive. There was no indication that the attack was related to the election.

The attack last Friday came the day before a presidential election was supposed to be held, but electoral authorities delayed the vote by one week due to logistical challenges.

Kaduna is currently a region held by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. It is not alien to such attacks in the past.

In the past few months, a total state of emergency was imposed following deadly attacks that killed a top traditional leader.

REUTERS