KADUNA / ABUJA — Human rights activist and journalist Steven Kefas has raised an alarm over renewed mass-casualty attacks in Southern Kaduna, alleging that at least 30 residents—including young children—were killed in a midnight raid on Naridon village in Kaura Local Government Area.
In a public statement and broadcast appearance, Kefas criticized the delayed response of security forces, noting that an Army Forward Operating Base (FOB) situated in nearby Kiffin failed to intervene during the hours-long assault.
Key Allegations Raised by Steven Kefas
Highlighting deteriorating security across agrarian communities in Kaduna State, Kefas outlined several grave concerns regarding response protocols and official accountability:
- Proximity to Military Base: Kefas questioned how an armed group could operate unhindered for over three hours in Naridon, located less than 5 kilometers from an Army Forward Operating Base in Kiffin.
- Casualties and Destruction: Reports from local youth leaders and civil society organizations confirm that 30 residents, including women and at least eight children, were slaughtered, with several residential homes set ablaze.
- Recycled Suspects Allegation: Kefas raised questions regarding previous arrests made in the axis, demanding answers on allegations that suspects apprehended in the area last year were transferred to Abuja, only to be released and re-engage in subsequent community attacks.
- Accusation of Deficit Political Will: The activist asserted that both state and federal leadership lack the political resolve to halt rural massacres, pointing to the absence of administrative sanctions or official accountability following repeated village raids.
- Personal Toll: Sharing his personal experience with the regional insecurity, Kefas disclosed that two of his distant cousins were confirmed killed in captivity in Kutaho on July 1.
Escalating Insecurity in the Region
LOCATION OF ATTACK: Naridon Village, Kaura LGA, Kaduna State
CASUALTY TOLL: 30 Dead (including 8 children), 4+ Injured
RESPONSIVE DELAY: Security personnel reportedly arrived hours after assailants fled
CRITICAL CONCERN: Growing wave of village raids, land grabbing, and mass kidnappings
Local civil society representatives, including the Southern Kaduna Peace and Security Network, noted that Naridon was previously subjected to similar violence around the same period last year, intensifying calls for permanent security detachments across vulnerable farming corridors.
While police and state internal security authorities stated that formal updates would be provided upon full operational briefings, community organizations continue to call for immediate humanitarian relief and impartial investigations into intelligence failures surrounding the attack.
