At least seven people, including children, have been killed while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a late-night terrorist attack on Angwan Rimi community in Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday night and spilled into the early hours of Monday, came barely weeks after the Kaduna State government signed a peace pact with bandit leaders under its “Kaduna Model” peace initiative.
Community leaders said the assailants, described as heavily armed Fulani marauders, invaded the area and unleashed terror on residents.
Mr. Iliya Tata, Public Relations Officer 1 of the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), confirmed the incident and released details of the victims.
“Seven persons have been killed, while eight others sustained gunshot wounds and machete cuts,” Tata said, urging security agencies to act swiftly to prevent further bloodshed.
Among those killed were mostly minors: Jacob Zaka (12), Magret Mathias (5), Delight Paul (1), Sati Markus (9), Confidence Yakubu (15), Veronica Paul (25), Matthew Sunday (14), and Felicia Francis (15).
The IDA also listed the injured, many of them battling for their lives: Mathew Sunday (14), Jethro Istifanus (7), Jackson Istifanus (5), Emmanuel Morris (14), Agatha Sylvester (9), Joy Markus (9), Devine Paul (1), and Mary Ishaya (12).
The association condemned the killings and called on both the federal and state governments, as well as the Kauru Local Government Authority, to urgently intervene and restore confidence among residents.
“Once again, we appeal to all members of the public to remain calm during this mourning period, trusting that security will do the needful to restore the confidence of the people,” the group said in a statement.
The latest assault has thrown fresh doubts on the effectiveness of the Kaduna peace initiative, which involved negotiations with notorious bandit leaders such as Yellow Jambros and Dogo Gide.
Although the state government had earlier celebrated the surrender of about 200 fighters under the deal, critics warned that engaging criminal warlords without involving victims and local communities risked backfiring.
Governor Uba Sani has consistently defended the pact as a “carrot-and-stick” approach designed to restore peace in troubled communities, but Sunday’s massacre has raised questions about whether the strategy can guarantee lasting security in the region.
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