A female expatriate and two others have been killed by suspected kidnappers in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, police said.

The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on Friday when the attackers stormed the area shooting sporadically.

The identities of the victims were not immediately made available by the police, who confirmed the attack.

The state police spokesperson, Yakubu Sabo, said three people were also abducted by the attackers. He also said a team of police officers have been deployed to the area.

“We received an information through DPO Kajuru that at about 2340hrs, some suspected kidnappers armed with dangerous weapons gained entry into a recreational resort called Kajuru Castle in Kajuru Local Government Area shooting sporadically and in the process shot dead two persons including an expatriate lady and took away three others,” he said.

“Patrol Teams led by the DPO rushed to the scene evacuated the victims to St. Gerald Hospital. Investigation later revealed that the victims along with twelve others came from Lagos on tourism after which they organized a party at the Castle located at the Hill Top during which the incident happened,” he said.

An official at the local government office who asked for anonymity however said three people were killed and five abducted.

“He said they were trying to establish the nationality of the expatriate.

‎The Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, appealed to members of the public to assist the police with information that would help in the arrest of the perpetrators.

In recent months, Kajuru in Kaduna State has been at the centre of an ethnic violence that has claimed dozens of lives.