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No fewer than 30 people, including eight children, have been killed following a fresh attack by suspected terrorists on Naridon community in Kamaru District, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The latest assault, which occurred late Sunday evening, once again underlined the worsening security situation in parts of southern Kaduna, where communities continued to face recurring attacks by armed groups.
Residents said the attackers invaded the village around 11pm, shooting sporadically at residents before setting fire to several houses and shops. The attack reportedly resulted in the deaths of many residents, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Project reports
The community leader confirms the victims
Naridon village head secretary Mr Dogon Rana confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Monday, describing the attack as one of the deadliest the community has witnessed in recent times.
According to him, the deaths of 30 people have been confirmed so far, although there are fears that the death toll could rise as some of the injured victims remain in critical condition.
He said four injured residents are currently receiving medical treatment as the community continues to search for those who may still be missing after the attack.
Rana explained that the gunmen struck while many villagers were winding down their daily activities or already sleeping, leaving residents with little chance of escape.
He lamented that the attack had plunged the community into grief, with many families losing multiple relatives in a single night.
Families devastated by heavy losses
Recounting the scale of the tragedy, Rana revealed that a family lost five children during the attack, leaving only one surviving child who is currently fighting for his life.
He also revealed that his personal residence was destroyed during the invasion.
According to him, many other buildings, including residential houses and commercial premises, were razed by the attackers, leaving many families homeless and sweeping away properties worth millions of naira.
Among the affected properties, he said, was the residence of the late Mr. Garba, along with several shops that served as sources of livelihood for community members.
Residents have since begun counting their losses as they struggle to recover from the destruction caused by the attackers.
The bad road was blamed for the delay in response
Rana attributed the high death toll partly to the poor state of infrastructure leading into the community.
He explained that Naridon shares a border with parts of Plateau State but does not have a motorable access road, making it difficult for security personnel and rescue workers to reach the area in a timely manner.
According to him, the absence of a functional road hampered rescue efforts and reduced the chances of many residents fleeing the attackers.
He appealed to both the Federal and Kaduna State Governments to prioritize the construction of an access road to the community, insisting that improved infrastructure would improve security operations and emergency response.
The community leader also called for the immediate deployment of additional security personnel to prevent further attacks, stressing that residents now live in constant fear.
The resident reports a prolonged attack
Another resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the attack lasted about three hours without any intervention from security officers.
The resident said that despite the presence of military formations in nearby Kamaru and Ungwan Magaji, located about two kilometers from Naridon, help did not arrive while the attack was underway.
The source further claimed that 22 members of the Rana family were among those killed during the invasion.
According to the resident, businesses and other private property were also destroyed, worsening the humanitarian crisis facing survivors.
The resident expressed concern over what was described as an inadequate security deployment in the community following the attack, claiming that ultimately only one military and four mobile police officers were stationed in the area.
Renewed concerns about insecurity
The latest killings have heightened concerns among residents of Kauru local government area, which has witnessed repeated attacks by armed groups over the years.
Several communities in the area have suffered deadly invasions resulting in loss of life, destruction of homes, displacement of residents and disruption of economic activities.
Community leaders have consistently made calls for stronger security measures, better intelligence gathering and an increased military presence to stop recurring attacks.
The renewed violence is expected to reignite calls for decisive action by both the federal and Kaduna State governments to restore peace to the affected communities and ensure that displaced residents can safely return to their homes.
Police have not yet commented
At the time of filing this report, the Kaduna State Police Command had not released an official statement on the incident.
The Kaduna State Police Command is yet to make any official statement on the development.
Meanwhile, residents have appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance, an increased security presence and rapid government intervention to prevent further loss of life in the troubled community.
