Southern Kaduna Massacre: ‘We Failed to Protect Them,’ Bishop laments as 27 victims buried

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Kaduna — The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan on Saturday conducted a mass burial for 27 of the 30 residents killed in the recent attack on Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Most Rev. Julius Yakubu Kundi, said the victims were failed by those responsible for protecting them.

Three of the victims had earlier been buried before the solemn ceremony, which was attended by grieving families, clergy and sympathisers.

The victims were killed when suspected terrorists attacked Naridon, a farming community on the Kaduna–Plateau border, at about 11 p.m. last Sunday. The attackers reportedly opened fire on residents, set several houses ablaze and abducted an unspecified number of people.

Addressing mourners, Bishop Kundi said the decision to line up the coffins side by side was deliberate, describing it as a reminder of the scale of the tragedy and the need to protect innocent lives.

“I deliberately asked for the coffins to be lined up like this, so it will be evidence for us and all of Nigeria that we failed to protect them. They should not have died now,” the bishop said.

He expressed sympathy to the bereaved families, particularly parents who lost children and other loved ones, describing their grief as profound.

The attack has renewed concerns over insecurity in communities along the Kaduna–Plateau border, where residents have repeatedly come under attacks by armed groups.

Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the killings and directed security agencies to apprehend those responsible. He also extended his condolences to the Kaduna State Government and the families of the victims, describing the attack as heinous and unacceptable.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not announced any arrests in connection with the incident.

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