30 feared killed in Southern Kaduna attack as residents flee Chawai community

….Atiku, SOKAPU demand urgent security intervention

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Fresh violence has erupted in Southern Kaduna, with at least 30 people reportedly killed in an overnight attack on Chawai community in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, forcing residents to flee their homes amid fears of further attacks.

The attack, which reportedly lasted several hours on Sunday night, has sparked condemnation from former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU), who called for immediate action by security agencies to stop the recurring violence.

A resident of Kauru, Mr. Mark Vincent, told the BBC Hausa Service that the attackers invaded Chawai community at about nightfall and allegedly moved from house to house, attacking residents.

He said 28 bodies were deposited in a mortuary, while two victims had already been buried. According to him, seven other residents who sustained gunshot injuries were receiving treatment in hospitals.

Vincent rejected reports suggesting that the incident was a clash between farmers and herders, insisting that the victims were attacked in their homes. He alleged that about 50 armed men carried out the attack and operated for nearly three hours before leaving the community.

The casualty figures and details of the attack could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report, while the Kaduna State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement.

Meanwhile, residents of Kauru and neighbouring communities were said to have fled to safer locations over fears of further attacks.

Reacting to the development, Atiku described the killings as “heartbreaking and unacceptable,” saying the repeated attacks on communities showed the urgent need for stronger security measures nationwide.

He said no government could claim meaningful progress while citizens continued to lose their lives in their homes and communities, urging authorities to prioritise the protection of lives and property.

The former Vice President also criticised what he described as misplaced attention by senior government officials to an unverified claim of a letter of commendation from the United States, saying the immediate priority should be ending insecurity and restoring peace in affected communities.

Similarly, SOKAPU urged the Kaduna State Police Command to urgently strengthen security operations in Southern Kaduna to curb killings, kidnappings and destruction of farmlands.

In an open letter dated July 27 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, SOKAPU President, Engr. Tabara Samuel Kato, said the latest incident reflected the worsening security situation in Kauru, Kajuru, Chikun and Zangon Kataf local government areas.

The group said reported attacks in Narido and other communities had increased fear among residents, displaced families from their ancestral homes and threatened farming activities during the rainy season.

SOKAPU called for intelligence-driven operations, deployment of additional Mobile Police and specialised counter-terrorism units to vulnerable communities and forest corridors, as well as the dismantling of criminal hideouts.

The union stressed that safeguarding lives and property remained the primary responsibility of government, urging Governor Uba Sani and security agencies to take urgent steps to prevent further killings and displacement in Southern Kaduna.