Bandits stormed 15 rural communities in Kaduna’s Kauru LGA on January 12, 2026, killing at least 20 residents and abducting more than 200 people in a devastating overnight assault.
Armed attackers descended on villages including Kadagen Kauru, Kabari (Gobirawa), Rumaya, Nasarawan Kadage, and others under the cover of darkness.
They shot residents on sight, set homes ablaze, and dragged families into captivity.
In Kabari alone, bandits killed four people and kidnapped 53 others.
Rumaya suffered three deaths and 28 abductions, while Nasarawan Kadage lost two lives with 29 residents taken.
The coordinated violence spread fear across the local government area.
In Kadagen Kauru, gunmen killed one person, injured four, and abducted 31 villagers, including young women like Fatima Zahra whose abduction gained separate attention from community advocates.
Other affected locations — such as Kajunga (2 killed, 6 abducted), Fadan Rishiwa (2 killed, 8 abducted), and Kagadama (1 killed, 6 abducted) — reported similar horrors.
Security analyst Bakatsine documented the attacks and issued a stark warning on social media.
He highlighted the rising frequency of such raids and questioned how long residents could endure the bloodshed before authorities intervene decisively.
Community sources described the assault as part of an escalating pattern that has left families shattered and villages vulnerable.
Despite the scale of the tragedy, no immediate rescue operation materialized.
As of January 13 afternoon, neither the Kaduna State Police Command nor Governor Uba Sani had issued an official statement addressing the Kauru crisis.
Residents continue to plead for swift action to free the abducted and restore safety to their communities.
This latest massacre adds to the grim toll in Kauru LGA, where earlier reports from late 2025 into early 2026 already documented dozens of killings and hundreds kidnapped.
The persistent failure to halt bandit operations leaves rural populations in constant danger.
