Kaduna State has been thrown into mourning again after terrorists locally referred to as bandits launched coordinated attacks on southern communities, killing several residents and leaving many others critically injured. The latest violence erupted in Damakasuwa, a peaceful farming settlement in Kauru Local Government Area, where the night sky was torn apart by the sound of gunfire and panic.
According to local witnesses, at least five villagers, including minors, were killed when the attackers stormed the community on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately and hacking to death anyone in sight. Survivors described the assault as swift and brutal, leaving behind pools of blood and shattered homes. Several others are now receiving emergency care for life-threatening wounds, while others remain unaccounted for.
Residents say the bandits arrived in large numbers and surrounded the village before opening fire.
“The bandits intercepted the car at Kwanan Danwandara in Tabani Ward, Birnin Gwari, and abducted all the occupants, including the driver,”
“In the same vicinity, they also kidnapped two individuals on a motorcycle, taking all the captives into the forest.” a community elder recounted.
The Damakasuwa tragedy follows a pattern of escalating violence across Kaduna’s rural belt . Barely twenty-four hours earlier, another group of armed men intercepted a vehicle carrying traders in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area. The traders, travelling to the Layin Danauta market, were ambushed at Kwanan Danwandara in Tabani Ward. Every occupant of the vehicle, including the driver, was abducted. In the same vicinity, two individuals on a motorcycle were also seized and taken into the dense forest.
Many of the victims were traders from Dandume in Katsina State, while the motorcyclists were residents of Kuyello Ward in Birnin Gwari. Their fates remain uncertain as security forces continue to struggle with delayed response times in the vast, rugged terrain.
The wave of attacks did not stop there. On Wednesday night, nine residents were kidnapped in Rafin Roro village, Kajuru Local Government Area. The community’s traditional ruler, Mallam Adamu Auta, narrowly escaped, but nine of his family members were taken away. Locals say kidnappings and cattle rustling have become a weekly occurrence, often met with silence and slow intervention.
Earlier that same day, Bukkah community in Chikun Local Government Area was hit by another violent raid. Seven people — Mohammed Rufai, Sagiru Musa, Bala Usman, Aisha’atu Usman, Bilkisu Isiya, Sa’adiya Usman, and Wasila Usman — were abducted after gunmen stormed the village in the early morning hours. Terrified residents fled into the surrounding bush as gunfire echoed through the night.
For Kaduna Residents, these attacks have become an unending nightmare. Families sleep in shifts, keeping watch for headlights in the distance or the faint hum of motorcycles — sounds that now signal danger. Croplands lie abandoned, schools remain half-empty, and displaced villagers crowd into nearby towns with little assistance.
