Residents who survived the deadly attack on Naridon community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have recounted the traumatic events that unfolded when armed attackers stormed the village, leaving at least 30 people dead.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, also claimed the lives of five siblings from the same family. Witnesses said the assailants opened fire on residents, set several houses ablaze, looted food items and forced many villagers to flee into nearby bushes.
One of the survivors, Auta Danladi, said he desperately pleaded with his parents to escape when news spread that the attackers were approaching. According to him, his father refused to leave and was later killed during the assault.
Danladi said he managed to escape into the bush, where he hid as the attackers moved through the community. He added that the gunmen also burnt his family home and another belonging to his in-laws.
Another resident, Alheri Joseph, said he fled with his children after hearing gunshots from different directions. He lamented that several people who remained behind lost their lives and appealed to the government to provide lasting security rather than temporary relief after attacks.
Blessing Luka, who also survived the attack but lost her co-wife and other relatives, said residents were unaware of any reason their community was targeted. She recalled that a herder had been killed weeks earlier and his body abandoned in the village, stressing that community members had no involvement in the incident.
The survivors urged security agencies to intensify efforts to prevent further attacks, saying residents continue to live in fear of another invasion.
Meanwhile, senior military officers visited the affected community and warned residents against carrying out reprisal attacks. They assured victims that security forces were working to identify and arrest those responsible.
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The military also encouraged residents to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist ongoing investigations.
Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, condemned the killings and described the repeated attacks on the community as unacceptable.
The association called for increased security deployment, the arrest and prosecution of those behind the violence, and humanitarian support for displaced families and other victims.
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