The Irigwe Nation on Saturday held a mass burial for nine victims of a June 16, 2026 attack by suspected armed bandits on Angwan Magaji community in Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna.
The Irigwe people are an ethnic group native to Nigeria’s Middle Belt, concentrated primarily in Plateau State’s Bassa Local Government Area and parts of Southern Kaduna. They are known for the Rigwe language, distinctive cultural traditions, and unique marriage customs.
The dead included five children and one woman. Several other residents sustained injuries in the attack. Families, community members, religious leaders, and sympathisers gathered for the burial amid grief, prayers, and renewed appeals for an end to the violence that has plagued the region.
According to Joseph Yonkpa, spokesperson for the Irigwe Youth Movement, the attackers struck the community late on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Initial reports did not immediately capture the full scale of casualties, but subsequent search and recovery operations uncovered seven additional bodies, raising the confirmed death toll to nine, with 11 others injured.Community sources said the assailants used firearms during the assault and reportedly attacked some children with machetes, leaving residents traumatised.
Those killed were identified as Jerry Doctor, Danlami Magani, Sunday Chibi, Rita Abdullahi, Sunday Elkan, Esther Kefas, Happy Friday, Moses Daddy, and Daddy Ibrahim. The injured 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.Community leaders described the attack as part of what they believe is a sustained campaign of violence by armed bandits that has affected Southern Kaduna and other parts of Central Nigeria for more than two decades. They alleged that those responsible for such attacks are rarely arrested or prosecuted.
Speaking at Saturday’s burial, mourners voiced frustration over what they characterized as the federal government’s persistent failure to hold perpetrators accountable, arguing that this culture of impunity has emboldened further attacks.
Residents also lamented that incidents of this scale frequently go underreported, leaving victims and survivors feeling abandoned by both the media and the state. They called on journalists, civil society organisations, and relevant government authorities to pay closer attention to the plight of communities facing repeated attacks and recurring loss of life.
The mass burial concluded with fresh appeals to the federal government, the Kaduna State Government, and security agencies to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities, identify and prosecute those responsible for the killings, and take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed in the region. As of the time of this report, no arrests had been announced in connection with the attack.
