Gunmen attacked Naridon village in Kauru area, army response allegedly delayed for hours
At least 30 people, including eight children, were killed when armed men attacked Naridon village in Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria, residents said. The assault occurred between approximately 11:00 PM Sunday and 1:00 AM WAT Monday, according to Reuters and Xinhua.
The attackers moved house to house through Naridon, located in Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area, shooting residents and setting homes and shops on fire before fleeing, Dogon Rana, secretary to the village head, and Ishaya Dawa, a youth leader, told Reuters. No group has claimed responsibility, Reuters confirmed.
Casualties and delayed response
Eight children were among the dead, along with women and elderly residents, Reuters reported, citing Rana and Dawa. Four others were injured. One family lost six children in a single household, according to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). Bodies were taken to a nearby hospital, and burial arrangements were underway, resident Raphael Joshua told the Associated Press.
Security personnel arrived "in the morning, hours after the attack," Dawa told Reuters. FIJ reported that multiple residents said they called the Nigerian Army during the assault but that soldiers "refused to come on time." The allegation, if corroborated, would echo a pattern documented in Zamfara state in February, where residents said they warned security forces of an approaching armed convoy before a massacre that killed at least 50. The Kaduna State Police Command has not issued a statement; spokesperson DSP Mansir Hassan told Reuters details would be provided "soon." The state's internal security ministry initially said it was unaware of the incident before Commissioner Sule Shu'aibu said he was awaiting confirmation from security agencies. Neither President Bola Tinubu nor Governor Uba Sani had issued a public response as of Monday afternoon.
Observers are reading: How Kaduna's uneven security response compares across communities, and what it signals for federal accountability.
Become an Observer — it's free. Get full access to all Crisis.Zone analysis, briefings and breaking coverage.
The Christians in Politics group described the attack as "an act of terror" targeting Christian communities in southern Kaduna, calling on Tinubu and Sani to deploy security forces and provide humanitarian aid. The attackers' identity and motive remain unconfirmed, and no police statement had been issued as of Monday afternoon. Whether the army non-response allegation will be formally investigated remains unknown.
**TRANSPARENCY NOTE**
This report is based on wire service reporting from Reuters and Xinhua, investigative reporting from the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, and named resident testimony. Casualty figures reflect the most detailed available sourcing (Reuters); some outlets cite a toll of 31. The allegation that the Nigerian Army refused to respond to distress calls during the attack is attributed to residents as reported by FIJ and has not been independently verified. The claim from Christians in Politics is presented as an advocacy group's position, not an established fact. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Become an Observer — it's free — to unlock direct links to all sources used in this article.
We believe you deserve to verify everything we write. That's why we meticulously document every source.
