No fewer than 30 people, including eight children, were killed on Sunday night when suspected terrorists attacked Naridon Village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, in one of the deadliest assaults to hit Southern Kaduna in recent months.
The attackers reportedly stormed the village at about 11 p.m., opening fire indiscriminately before setting houses and shops ablaze. The attack left dozens dead, several residents injured and many families displaced.
The Secretary to the Village Head of Naridon, Mr. Dogon Rana, confirmed the incident, describing it as one of the worst attacks the community has experienced.
According to him, 30 residents have so far been confirmed dead, including eight children, while four others sustained critical injuries and are receiving treatment.
“We have confirmed the killing of 30 people, but we fear the death toll may rise because some of the injured are in critical condition,” Rana said.
He described the attack as devastating, saying many families lost loved ones while homes, shops and property worth millions of naira were destroyed.
“There is someone in this village who lost five children in one night. The only surviving child is critically injured and fighting for his life. This tragedy has thrown the entire community into mourning,” he said.
Rana also disclosed that his house was among those burnt during the attack.
“My house was burnt down by the attackers. Several shops were also destroyed, including the house belonging to the late Mr. Garba. Many families have been rendered homeless,” he added.
He attributed the high casualty figure partly to the absence of a motorable road linking the community, saying poor access delayed emergency response and hindered residents from fleeing to safety.
“If we had a good road, help would have reached us much earlier, and many lives could have been saved,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the Federal Government, the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to strengthen security in the area and urgently construct an access road to the village.
“We are pleading with the government not to abandon us. We need adequate security and a good road. These attacks have become too frequent, and our people can no longer sleep with both eyes closed,” he said.
A resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, alleged that 22 members of the Rana family were among those killed. The resident also claimed that homes and businesses were razed during the attack.
The resident further alleged that the attackers operated for about three hours without resistance despite the presence of military formations in Kamaru and Ungwan Magaji, about two kilometres from the village.
“As of now, only one soldier and four Mobile Police officers have been deployed to the village,” the resident alleged.
The latest attack has heightened fears in Kauru Local Government Area, where several communities have suffered repeated attacks by armed groups in recent years, resulting in deaths, destruction of property and the displacement of residents.
As of the time of filing this report, Kaduna State Government and security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.