Gunmen killed 30 people, including five siblings from the same family, when they invaded the Naridon community in Kamaru Chawai Ward of Kauru Local Government Area, Kaduna State, on Monday.
The attack occurred around 12.35 am local time. The siblings were identified as Deborah Emmanuel, Friday Emmanuel, Yusuf Emmanuel, Yunana Emmanuel and Irimiya Emmanuel. Their parents escaped the attack and later returned to the community after the devastating loss of their children. Many residents were also injured and several houses were burnt down.
The attack came barely two weeks after 19 northern state governors launched the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund in Kaduna. The governors pledged a monthly contribution of N1bn from member states to strengthen regional security coordination and address persistent security challenges. The meeting, 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.
Death toll and casualties
A former youth leader in the area, Comrade Friday Ango, confirmed the incident and said 24 deaths had been recorded. However, AFP quoted local sources as putting the death toll at 30. Ango said: “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 disclosed that many other residents sustained injuries. “I do not have the exact number of those injured, but a significant number of community members sustained injuries,” he added.
Ango said he received a distress call that 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. Security personnel arrived after the attackers had left. There were no reported cases of abduction. The victims included women, children and elderly residents.
Ango 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 LGA had suffered similar attacks for years and deserved better protection from security agencies.
Photographs obtained from the community showed burnt houses, destroyed property and bodies of victims lying on the ground.
A video clip captured women and children wailing as corpses were laid on the floor awaiting burial. The secretary to the village head, Dogon Rana, told AFP: “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,” adding that some people were still missing.
Rubean James, a resident, said he heard gunshots and his family managed to escape through a back door to the bush. “After sunrise, we went back and discovered that some people were killed. In all, I can confirm 31 dead and other people were injured,” he said. Another resident, Barnabas Musa, told AFP the attack lasted around three hours. “We gathered at least 30 dead bodies, including women and children,” he said. Community leader Yunusa Babados said the attackers broke into family homes, including one where six children from the same household were murdered. “In one family, they killed six children and told the parents: ‘We will spare you and kill all your children,’” he said.
Official reaction
Confirming the incident, the former Chairman of Kauru LGA, Musa Waziri, said he was on his way to Naridon to ascertain the circumstances. “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.” Waziri said it would be premature to conclude the exact cause.
“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.
Condemnation from SOKAPU, Amnesty International and government
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union condemned the killings and called on the Kaduna State Police Command to urgently tackle what it described as worsening insecurity across Southern Kaduna. In an open letter dated 27 July and signed by its President, Engr. Tabara Samuel Kato, the union described the attack on Naridon as another tragic reminder of the vulnerability of rural communities.
The association said residents of Kajuru, Chikun, Kauru and Zangon Kataf LGAs continued to live in fear despite repeated security assurances. It urged the police to deploy Mobile Police and counter-terrorism units to vulnerable communities, intensify intelligence-led operations against armed groups, improve response to distress calls and sustain patrols around farming communities.
Amnesty International also “strongly condemns the killing of at least 30 people,” saying the raid was “perhaps one of the deadliest attacks” on Southern Kaduna villages. It said it obtained images showing “entire families locked up and slaughtered inside their bedrooms. Children had their throats slit and their heads left with massive cuts.”
The Kaduna State government 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 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.
Call for improved intelligence
A Kaduna-based security analyst, Mohammed Ali, called on the Kaduna State government to invest more in intelligence gathering as a strategic measure to curb banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other violent crimes. Ali said proactive intelligence remains one of the most effective tools for preventing attacks, noting that security agencies would be better positioned to intercept criminal groups with timely and credible information on their movements and activities.
According to him, strengthening intelligence networks would not only help security operatives disrupt planned attacks but also dismantle criminal networks responsible for the persistent insecurity, particularly in Southern Kaduna.
He identified Kauru, Chikun, Kajuru and Kachia LGAs as among the communities experiencing repeated attacks, stressing that enhanced intelligence-led operations could significantly reduce kidnapping incidents.
The security analyst also linked the continued activities of bandits to financial gains from ransom payments and cattle rustling, saying the proceeds enable criminals to acquire weapons and ammunition.
Ali further alleged that about 37 people are currently being held captive in Kachia LGA, claiming they were abducted by a bandit group led by a notorious figure known as “Yellow One Million.” The claim has not been independently verified.
He urged the state government to strengthen intelligence capabilities and coordinate more effectively with security agencies to address the root causes of the persistent insecurity and prevent further attacks.
