By Lawrence Zongo
Residents of Ungwan Magaji village in Kamaru Chawai, located along the southern Kaduna corridor near the boundary with Plateau State, reported that armed men entered the community on Monday night, June 16, 2026, opening fire and moving through homes for several hours before leaving.
Community leaders and a local clinic say nine people were killed, including children, while at least eleven others were injured and treated at Sunny Clinic in Kamaru before five of the more critical cases were referred to General Hospital, Kafanchan.
The village sits within a cluster of rural settlements in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, sharing farming and grazing routes with surrounding Chawai communities and lying within reach of Irigwe settlements across the Plateau State boundary in Bassa LGA. The wider region has experienced repeated cycles of violence affecting farming communities since 2016.
A press statement from the Chawai Development Association National said armed men invaded the community in the late hours of June 16, describing the attackers as “suspected Fulani militants.” The group said nine bodies were recovered after the incident.
The dead include adults and children, among them Jerry Doctor (51), Danlami Magani (49), Sunday Chibi (53), Rita Abdullahi (45), Sunday Elkan (5), Esther Kefas (5), Happy Friday (6), Moses Daddy (4), and Daddy Ibrahim (28).
Eleven injured residents were listed as Halla Monday (7), Mary Yohanna (9), Jummai John (42), Charity Danjuma (49), Faith Yakubu (26), Naomi Yakubu (48), Ali Sandiye (70), Asabe Victor (29), Sarina Simon (4), Talatu Sunday (60), and Thank God Danladi (8).
At Sunny Clinic, health worker Sunday Aboh said the facility received 11 casualties after the attack.
“Following the attack, 11 casualties were brought to my clinic. We treated all of them and referred five of the more critical cases to Kafanchan,” Aboh said.
He added that the clinic serves about 20 surrounding communities and operates with limited drugs and equipment. According to him, it has handled repeated cases of violence-related injuries over the past two years.
“We are calling on the government to assist us with medical equipment and supplies. This is the only clinic available for emergency treatment in these communities,” he said.
Aboh also noted that some patients were unable to pay medical bills after treatment. He said humanitarian support had helped cover some costs for victims.
“We want to express our gratitude to Equipping the Persecuted for assisting with medical bills,” he added.
In Kamaru, a cleric at ECWA Church, Pastor Ishaya Wuy, said residents were gathered for mourning when the attack began.
“We were gathered mourning the loss of our grandmother when the attackers struck. The attack was completely unprovoked,” he said.
He said bodies were recovered after the incident and described the victims as mostly Christians in the community.
Catechist Ishaya Musa of St. Monica’s Catholic Church said he was abducted during the attack by armed men who entered his home at night.
“Four armed men entered my room. They told me if I resisted they would kill me,” he said.
He said he was taken into the bush, beaten, and later asked to pay a ransom of ₦10 million.
“They kept asking where the church money was. I told them I had no money. They beat me until I became weak,” Musa said.
He said the attackers took phones from him and used one light source while moving through the bush. He was later released and treated for machete wounds.
Local community hunters also reported involvement in security response efforts. Odoh Steven, leader of a hunters’ group, said the community relied on locally made weapons and lacked capacity to confront armed attackers.
“We use only local pipe guns. Seven of our members were killed two years ago,” he said.
He said the group had repeatedly requested support from security agencies, adding that communities often wait hours before security forces arrive after attacks.
The Chawai–Irigwe axis has experienced recurring violence since 2016, affecting farming communities across Kaduna and Plateau States. Local advocacy groups estimate that more than 2,000 Irigwe people have been killed in attacks across Bassa Local Government Area during that period, while residents of Ungwan Magaji and surrounding Chawai communities report at least 200 deaths linked to repeated assaults over the same timeframe.
The area is characterized by scattered rural settlements, farmland corridors, and forest edges used for both farming and grazing, creating frequent contact points between communities and herders along the Kaduna–Plateau boundary zone.
Residents described heavy rainfall and cold conditions during the night of the attack, which limited movement and delayed response efforts from nearby communities.
Security agencies had not issued a detailed public statement on the incident at the time of filling this report.
Post Comment