Gunmen killed at least 30 people, including eight children, in a three-hour overnight attack on the village of Naridon in Kaduna State’s Kauru Local Government Area on Sunday, residents and community officials said Monday, in the latest in a series of deadly assaults on rural communities in northern Nigeria that have gone largely unanswered by security forces.
The attack began at approximately 11 p.m. The assailants shot residents indiscriminately and set houses ablaze. No security intervention occurred during the assault despite military and police posts located less than two kilometers from the village, residents said.
What We Know So Far
The Secretary to the Village Head of Naridon, Dogon Rana, confirmed the death toll to Punch Nigeria on Monday.
“We have confirmed the killing of 30 people, but we are afraid the death toll may rise because some of the injured are in critical condition,” Rana said.
Four people were in critical condition receiving treatment. Rana said at least one family lost five children in a single night, with only one surviving child fighting for his life.
“There is someone in this village who lost five children in one night,” Rana said. “This is a tragedy that has thrown the entire community into mourning.”
A separate resident, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said 22 members of the Rana family alone were killed. Businesses and homes across the community were destroyed.
Raphael Joshua, a resident helping the injured, told the Associated Press that bodies had been deposited at a nearby hospital and that arrangements for burials were underway.
Rana said his own house was among those burned. He also blamed the high casualty figure on the absence of a motorable access road.
“If our road had been motorable, the casualty figure would not have been this high because help would have reached us on time and many people could have escaped,” he said.
The attack lasted approximately three hours, according to residents. Only one military officer and four mobile police officers were deployed to the community in the aftermath.
Derek Christopher, chairman of the Southern Kaduna Peace and Security Network, said the same community had been attacked the previous year around the same time.
“I don’t know who these people have left to fight for them,” Christopher said, accusing the government of abandoning the area.
No group immediately claimed responsibility. The Kaduna State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Internal Security, Sule Shu’aibu, said he had not been briefed on the attack, the Associated Press confirmed.
What Authorities Are Saying
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani condemned the attack and directed security agencies to intensify operations to arrest and prosecute those responsible.
The governor also directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency to provide immediate relief materials to affected families, a statement from Information Commissioner Ahmed Maiyaki confirmed.
“The Kaduna State Government reaffirms 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 statement said.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar condemned the killings as evidence of federal government failure.
“The reported killing of scores of innocent Nigerians in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Atiku said. “The people of Southern Kaduna do not need letters of praise from foreign capitals. They need security.”
Atiku called for intelligence-driven operations, swift prosecution of perpetrators, and proactive measures to prevent future attacks on vulnerable communities.
Amnesty International condemned the killings and said dozens of residents who tried to flee were pursued into nearby bush and killed by the attackers.
“President Bola Tinubu claims he has repeatedly tasked security agencies to end the killings so that rural communities can go to bed with their eyes closed, but clearly nothing has changed,” Amnesty International said.
People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate Usman Bawa described the attack as “a horrifying act of barbarity” and demanded immediate deployment of additional security forces to Kauru and surrounding vulnerable communities.
Why This Matters
The Naridon attack follows an established and recurring pattern in Southern Kaduna and along the Kaduna-Plateau border, where communities have endured repeated deadly raids, kidnappings, and property destruction over many years without sustained security improvement.
Armed groups in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions, commonly described as bandits, carry out raids and kidnappings for ransom regularly. Authorities have attributed much of the violence to former herders who took up arms following escalating clashes with farming communities over land and resources that have intensified as climate pressures reduce available grazing territory.
The specific details of the Naridon attack reveal the structural failures that amplify the death toll in each successive raid. Security posts were stationed within two kilometers of the village but did not intervene during three hours of active killing. The absence of a motorable road prevented emergency responders from reaching the community quickly and prevented residents from fleeing. The same village was attacked a year earlier under similar circumstances.
Amnesty International’s criticism of Tinubu’s repeated assurances reflects a growing gap between official statements and documented outcomes that civil society groups and opposition figures have consistently highlighted. The organization noted that the affected community reported several residents remained unaccounted for, suggesting the final death toll could be higher than the confirmed 30.
The diplomatic context adds a further dimension. Nigeria has faced U.S. government criticism over its failure to protect Christians in the country, leading to what Atiku described as the Tinubu administration receiving foreign letters of commendation for counter-terrorism efforts. Atiku’s pointed reference to those letters in the context of 30 people being killed overnight captures the frustration of communities who see a disconnect between diplomatic posture and security reality on the ground.
What Happens Next
Governor Sani directed security agencies to intensify operations in the area and said the state would coordinate with Plateau State, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders to strengthen border security.
Rana and other community representatives appealed to both the federal and state governments to deploy additional security personnel to the area permanently and to construct an accessible road to enable emergency response in future incidents.
Whether those appeals produce meaningful action before the next attack follows the pattern established by the same community’s experience last year.
With the 2027 general elections approaching and political activity intensifying, Atiku specifically cautioned security agencies to remain vigilant against politically motivated violence alongside the ongoing threat from armed groups.
Sources: AP/ Sahara Reporters/ PunchOnline
