Kaduna State in Northwest Nigeria is notorious for banditry and kidnapping activities
No fewer than 30 persons, including eight children, were killed on Sunday night when suspected terrorists attacked Naridon community in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, in one of the deadliest assaults recorded in the area in recent times.
The attackers reportedly stormed the community at about 11 p.m., shooting indiscriminately before setting houses and shops ablaze. The assault left scores dead, several others injured and many families displaced as residents fled for safety.
The Secretary to the Village Head of Naridon, Mr. Dogon Rana, who confirmed the incident on Monday, said 30 bodies had so far been recovered, warning that the death toll could rise as some of the injured victims remain in critical condition.
He said four injured persons are currently receiving treatment, while residents and local volunteers continue searching for people believed to be missing after the attack.
According to the secretary of the village head, Rana, the assailants struck while many villagers were asleep or preparing to retire for the night, leaving residents with little chance to escape.
He described the attack as the worst tragedy to befall the community in recent years.
“The entire community is in mourning. Some families lost several relatives in one night,” he said.
Rana disclosed that one family lost five children, while the only surviving child is receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries. He added that his own house was among the buildings destroyed during the attack.
He said dozens of residential buildings and shops were burnt, including the residence of the late Mr. Garba, leaving many families homeless and destroying property worth millions of naira.
The community leader blamed the high casualty figure on the poor state of infrastructure, explaining that Naridon, which shares a boundary with Plateau State, has no motorable access road, making it difficult for security operatives and emergency responders to reach the area quickly.
He appealed to the federal and Kaduna State governments to construct an access road to the community and deploy additional security personnel to prevent further attacks, warning that residents now live in fear.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the attackers operated for about three hours without resistance, despite the presence of military formations in nearby Kamaru and Ungwan Magaji, about two kilometres away.
The resident further claimed that 22 members of the Rana family were among those killed, while businesses and other private property were destroyed, worsening the humanitarian situation in the community.
The source also alleged that security presence in the area remained inadequate after the attack, saying only one soldier and four Mobile Police officers were deployed to the community.
The latest killings have renewed concerns over the persistent insecurity in Kauru Local Government Area, where several communities have suffered repeated attacks leading to loss of lives, destruction of property and displacement of residents.
Community leaders have again called for stronger security measures, improved intelligence gathering and sustained military operations to end the recurring violence.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kaduna State Police Command confirmed the incident and promised to issue an official statement on the incident.
Meanwhile, residents have appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance, increased security presence and swift government intervention to prevent further attacks and restore confidence in the affected community.
