In the most recent round of violence to strike Southern Kaduna towns, suspected terrorists stormed Naridon Village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least thirty persons, including eight children.
Around 11 p.m. on Sunday, the attackers allegedly invaded the neighborhood, shooting randomly, lighting homes on fire, and killing numerous individuals while injuring others.
In a phone interview, Mr. Dogon Rana, the secretary to the village head of Naridon, confirmed the attack.
Rana described the incident as unprecedented in the neighborhood, claiming that some inhabitants had already gone to bed and others were still going about their evening activities.
He claims that 30 individuals, including eight children, have been officially declared dead thus far, while four others have suffered serious injuries and are being treated.
Rana stated, “We have confirmed the deaths of thirty people, but we are afraid the death toll may rise because some of the injured are in critical condition.”
He lamented how the attack had decimated the town, causing millions of naira worth of property to be damaged and many families to lose loved ones.
Someone in this village lost five kids in a single night. The lone child who is still alive is struggling for his life due to severe injuries. The entire town is in mourning as a result of this catastrophe, he said.
Rana went on to say that the assailants destroyed a number of homes, including his own.
”The assailants set fire to my own home. Additionally, a number of stores were damaged, including the late Mr. Garba’s home. Many families have been left homeless,” he stated.
The village official said that Naridon borders portions of Plateau State and attributed the high death toll to the lack of a motorable access road, which he claimed delayed emergency response and made it challenging for locals to flee.
“Our community lacks an accessible road.” The number of casualties would not have been this great if our road had been motorable since many people could have escaped and help would have arrived in a timely manner, he said.
He urged the federal government, the state government of Kaduna, and security organizations to immediately send more security guards to the region and start building a community access road.
“We are begging the government to stay with us. To keep our citizens safe, we need security guards and a good road. Our folks can no longer sleep with their eyes closed because these attacks have become too common,” he continued.
Residents of Kauru Local Government Area, where armed groups have repeatedly attacked various communities in recent years, resulting in fatalities, property devastation, and resident displacement, are now more fearful as a result of the most recent attack.
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons, claimed that the attack murdered 22 members of the Rana family and devastated local businesses.
The resident further stated that despite the presence of military formations in Kamaru and Ungwan Magaji, which are roughly two kilometers away from the neighborhood, the onslaught continued for roughly three hours without security officers intervening.
