At least seven people were killed and 15 others persons severely injured following the violence that broke out in Kasuwa Magani village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Spokesman for the State Police Command, Aliyu Mukhtar, who confirmed the figure on Monday, also said several houses were destroyed during the crisis.

A clash was said to have erupted on Sunday between youths belonging to two different religious groups in Kasuwa Magani village.

It later snowballed into a crisis between the groups, leading to the burning of houses and destruction of other valuables in the area.

Earlier, an indigene of the area said the crisis was a result of a reported romantic relationship and eventual forceful conversion of some girls to a religion by some boys from another faith.

Mukhtar, however, said the police have commenced an investigation into the remote and immediate cause of the violence.

He also said the situation has been brought under control by security operatives who were swiftly deployed in the area.