Gov Sani, SOKAPU Condemn Kaduna Attack That Left 30 Dead

Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, has condemned the killing of villagers by suspected bandits in Naridon Village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru local government area, a boundary community with  Ganawuri in Riyom local government area of Plateau State.

The governor said he received with deep sorrow reports of the killing of persons following an attack on on the community on Sunday night.

In a statement issued by the commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, he said the attack resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property.

Children and women were among the 30 persons reportedly killed when suspected terrorists attacked the village.

In a swift reaction, the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU) called for urgent measures to stop the recurring attacks and protect vulnerable communities.

SOKAPU urged the Kaduna State Police Command to take immediate and decisive action to halt the escalating killings, abductions and destruction of farmlands across Southern Kaduna.

In an open letter dated 27 July and addressed to the commissioner of police, Kaduna State Command, SOKAPU president, Engr. Tabara Samuel Kato, expressed concern over what he described as the worsening security situation in rural and farming communities.

The attackers allegedly stormed the community between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. yesterday and opened fire on the residents.

Some residents said the assailants operated for over three hours, leaving scores dead and several injured.

They also burnt  houses and shops.

One of the residents, Barnabas Musa, told LEADERSHIP that the attack began at 1 a.m. and lasted till 3 a.m., as the fear-gripped villagers made frantic calls for help.

According to him, no fewer than 30 people, including women and children, were killed during the attack, while the gunmen also set ablaze four shops and two houses.

Another resident, Friday Ango, described the attack as one of the worst tragedies to befall the community.

He said that the attackers wiped out the family of a resident identified as Mr Emma, killing about five of his children.

“They wiped out one man’s family. They killed about five of his children,” Ango said.

Ango said residents were still recovering bodies from the community as of the time of filing this report, while efforts were ongoing to compile the names of those killed.

Taking to his verified Facebook page, a human rights activist, Steven Kefas, first  stated that 30 residents were killed following the attack.

Kefas later said, “Death toll now put at 30. 30 women, children and men were slaughtered while innocently asleep in the midnight attack in Naridon village. One family lost six children. The Fulani terrorists also burned some houses,” he said.

The government said it strongly condemned the attack and has directed security agencies to intensify operations to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Governor Sani extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, prayed 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 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 statement urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding, to support security agencies with credible information and to reject violence, and to embrace dialogue.

“The Kaduna State government remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding every community and sustaining peace, security and social harmony across the state,” the statement added.

SOKAPU noted that the attack occurred despite repeated security assurances and ongoing engagements, warning that residents of Kajuru, Chikun, Kauru and Zangon Kataf local government areas continued to live in fear.

According to SOKAPU, many families had been displaced from their ancestral communities, while armed criminal groups allegedly operated with increasing audacity.

The association called for a shift from reactive security responses to proactive, intelligence-driven policing.

SOKAPU urged the immediate deployment of Mobile Police and counter-terrorism units to vulnerable communities and forest corridors, intensified intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal camps, and sustained security patrols around farming communities to enable farmers to cultivate and harvest their crops without fear.

The group also appealed to the police to improve their response to distress calls and to strengthen public confidence through effective communication, stressing that protecting lives and property remains the government’s primary responsibility.