The ‘Irigwe Nation’ on Saturday held a mass burial for victims of the June 16, 2026 attack by armed Fulani bandits on Ungwan Magaji village in Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area (LGA) of Southern Kaduna State.
The Irigwe Nation refers to the Irigwe people, an ethnic group in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, primarily located in Plateau State, especially Bassa Local Government Area and parts of Southern Kaduna.
Sources confirmed that the attackers stormed the community in the early hours of June 16, opening fire on residents and killing nine persons.
Families, community members, religious leaders, and sympathisers gathered to lay the victims to rest on Saturday, June 27 amid grief and renewed calls for justice. The burial was marked by prayers, tears, and appeals for an end to the persistent violence affecting communities in Southern Kaduna and other parts of Central Nigeria.
Community leaders described the attack as part of what they believe is a sustained campaign of violence by armed bandits. They lamented that similar attacks have plagued the region for more than two decades, alleging that those responsible are rarely arrested or prosecuted.
Speaking during the burial, mourners expressed frustration over what they described as the Nigerian government’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable, arguing that the prevailing culture of impunity has encouraged further attacks.
The June 16 assault on Angwan Magaji drew widespread condemnation after gunmen stormed the community, killing nine residents and injuring several others.
The mass burial ended with renewed appeals to the federal and Kaduna State governments, as well as security agencies, to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities, bring those responsible for the killings to justice, and take decisive steps to prevent further bloodshed.
According to the spokesperson for the Irigwe Youth Movement, Joseph Yonkpa, the attackers struck the community late on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. While initial reports did not immediately reveal the full scale of the casualties, subsequent search and recovery operations led to the discovery of seven additional bodies, raising the death toll to nine.
Community sources told said that the attackers used firearms during the assault and also reportedly attacked some children with machetes, leaving residents traumatised by the violence.
Among those killed were several adults and children, underscoring the devastating impact of the attack on the community.
The victims who lost their lives were identified as Jerry Doctor, Danlami Magani, Sunday Chibi, Rita Abdullahi, Sunday Elkan, Esther Kefas, Happy Friday, Moses Daddy and Daddy Ibrahim.
Those injured in the attack were identified as Halla Monday, Mary Yohanna, Jummai John, Charity Danjuma, Faith Yakubu, Omi Yakubu, Ali Sandiye, Asabe Victor, Srarina Simon, Talatu Sunday and ThankGod Danladi.
Residents expressed grief and frustration over what they described as the recurring violence in Southern Kaduna and the limited attention such incidents often receive.
They lamented that despite the scale of the tragedy, attacks on vulnerable communities in the region frequently go underreported, leaving victims and survivors feeling abandoned.
Community members called on the media, civil society organisations and relevant government authorities to pay greater attention to the plight of communities facing repeated attacks and loss of lives.
Written with reports, illustrative pictures by SaharaReporters
