Gunmen Kill At Least 30 in Fresh Attack on Nigeria's Kaduna Community

At least 30 people were killed and several others injured after heavily armed gunmen attacked Naridon village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area in Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria, late on Sunday night, triggering fresh fears over the worsening security crisis in the country's northwest.

Residents said the attackers stormed the border community, which lies near Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, at around 11 pm, opening indiscriminate fire on homes before setting houses and shops ablaze. Local resident Raphael Joshua said the bodies of those killed had been taken to a nearby hospital while preparations were underway for their burial.

Derek Christopher, chairman of the Southern Kaduna Peace and Security Network, noted that the same community had also been attacked around the same period last year, underscoring the recurring violence affecting vulnerable communities.

Local officials said eight children were among those killed, while at least four injured survivors remained in critical condition. The attack destroyed several homes, shops and other properties, leaving many families homeless. One village official said a resident lost five children in a single night, while another resident alleged that 22 members of one extended family were killed during the assault. Residents also blamed the poor condition of access roads for delaying emergency response and making escape difficult.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani condemned the killings, describing the attack as tragic and unacceptable. He directed security agencies to intensify operations to apprehend and prosecute those responsible and instructed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to affected families.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the massacre, calling for an overhaul of Nigeria's security architecture and stronger intelligence-led operations to prevent repeated attacks on rural communities. Senator Sunday Katung, who represents Kaduna South, demanded justice, urged stronger security deployment and appealed for calm among residents.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities have not officially identified the perpetrators. Northwestern and north central Nigeria have witnessed frequent attacks by heavily armed criminal gangs, commonly referred to as bandits, while the country's northeast continues to battle insurgencies by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Investigations into the latest attack are continuing.