No fewer than 30 people have been confirmed dead after suspected gunmen launched a deadly attack on Naridon Village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday night.
The assailants reportedly killed women and children and set several homes ablaze, leaving the community devastated and forcing residents into mourning.
Two community sources, Ibrahim John and Mallam Katuka, confirmed the attack in separate WhatsApp messages to SaharaReporters.
Residents said at least 30 bodies had been recovered from the scene, warning that the death toll could rise as search and rescue efforts continue.
Photographs from the community revealed widespread destruction, with numerous houses reduced to rubble by the attackers.
Authorities are yet to confirm the number of those injured or displaced, as efforts to assess the full extent of the devastation continue.
The latest massacre has intensified fears over the worsening security crisis in Kauru and other parts of Southern Kaduna, where communities have faced repeated attacks by armed assailants.
Residents and community leaders have called on the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently reinforce security in the area and take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
The attack comes amid a renewed wave of violence across Southern Kaduna.
Just days earlier, at least eight kidnapped victims from Ariko and Awon villages in Kachia Local Government Area were reported to have died in captivity after spending more than three months under harsh conditions.
According to journalist and former Kaduna State Government spokesman, Reuben Buhari, seven of the deceased were among those abducted from Ariko village, while the eighth was a newborn baby delivered by a woman kidnapped from neighbouring Awon village.
