No fewer than 30 people, including five siblings from the same family, were killed when gunmen invaded Naridon community in Kamaru Chawai Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack which occurred around 12.35 am on Monday, came barely two weeks after 19 northern states governors launched the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund (NNSTF) in Kaduna and pledged a monthly contribution of N1 billion from member states to strengthen regional security coordination and address persistent security challenges.
The meeting, which was also attended by traditional rulers, senior government officials and security stakeholders, focused on the security situation in the North and the need for coordinated approaches to restore peace and stability to the region.
The siblings were identified as Deborah Emmanuel, Friday Emmanuel, Yusuf Emmanuel, Yunana Emmanuel and Irimiya Emmanuel.
Sources said the parents had escaped the attack, and later returned to the community after the devastating loss of their five children. Many residents were also injured, while several houses were burnt.
The secretary to village head, Dogon Rana, told AFP, that some people were still missing, “so far we have recovered 30 corpses, and there are fears that the death toll could rise because some of the injured victims remain in critical condition”.
A former youth leader in the area, Comrade Friday Ango, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, said 24 deaths had been recorded, but AFP quoted local sources as putting the death toll at 30.
“From the report I received, 24 people have been confirmed dead. The number could rise later, but for now, the confirmed death toll is 24. One Emmanuel in the community lost five children in the incident. Only he and his wife escaped,” he said.
Ango disclosed that many other residents also sustained injuries during the attack, but there were no reported cases of abduction during the attack, explained that the victims included women, children and elderly residents.
“Yes. The victims include women, children and adults. I have photographs showing the aftermath, including heartbreaking images of children among the victims”.
“I do not have the exact number of those injured, but a significant number of community members sustained injuries,” he added.
According to him, he received a distress call that some assailants bearing sophisticated weapons stormed the community around 12.40 am, shortly after the attack started.
“The attackers carried out their operation without resistance. They came with sophisticated weapons that the residents could not match. The people had no option but to flee. Those who could not escape were killed,” he said,
Ango added that security personnel arrived in the community after the attackers had left.
He also faulted reports attributing the attack to a farmer-herder clash, insisting that the people of Naridon were attacked without provocation.
According to him, communities in Kauru Local Government Area had suffered similar attacks for years and deserved better protection from security agencies.
Confirming the incident, former Chairman of Kauru LGA, Musa Waziri, said he was on his way to Naridon community to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the attack.
“I have just arrived in Kamarun Chawai, which is the ward headquarters of Naridon, where the incident happened. Naridon is under Kamarun Chawai Ward, a border community with Plateau State. I am now on my way to Naridon community to find out exactly what happened.
“It has been confirmed that the incident took place. As you know, this area has experienced herder-farmer clashes for many years. We have held several meetings to prevent such conflicts, but because we share a border with Plateau State, these clashes still happen from time to time,” he said.
Waziri, however, said it would be premature to conclude the exact cause of the latest violence.
“I am going to the community to understand the real cause of what happened. However, this is not a bandit attack. To be honest, we do not experience the kind of banditry seen in places like Zamfara or Katsina, where people are killed or kidnapped.
“I want to get the full details because these kinds of conflicts have happened before due to our border with Plateau State. When there is a clash between farmers and herders on the Plateau side, it sometimes affects our communities as well, leading to retaliatory attacks here. But it would not be accurate to describe this as the kind of banditry seen in Zamfara or Katsina,” he said.
The Kaduna State government also condemned the killings, saying it received the news with deep sorrow. According to the government, the attack resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property. This was contained in a statement on Monday by Ahmed Maiyaki, the state Commissioner for Information.
“The government strongly condemns the attack and has directed security agencies to intensify operations to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“Governor Uba Sani extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, prays for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased, the speedy recovery of the injured, and has directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) to provide immediate relief and humanitarian support to affected families,” the statement said.
It added that the state government reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Plateau State Government, security agencies, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen security cooperation, restore lasting peace and protect lives and property along the Kaduna–Plateau border.
The commissioner urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, support security agencies with credible information and embrace dialogue.
He said the government remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding every community and sustaining peace, security and social harmony across the state.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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