More than 100 communities in Southern Kaduna have reportedly been deserted by residents following repeated attacks by armed groups, with some affected settlements allegedly resorting to negotiations with the assailants to survive.
The affected communities are spread across parts of Kachia, Kajuru, Kagarko, Chikun and Birnin Gwari local government areas of Kaduna State, according to findings by Saturday PUNCH.
The National President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union, Tabara Kato, said over 100 communities had been displaced, while the former spokesman of the group, Luka Binniyat, claimed that the figure was as high as 245.
Kato also said about 35,402 people had been displaced across the state, adding that many of the affected residents were now living in Internally Displaced Persons camps under difficult conditions.
The latest major attack cited by the community leaders occurred on July 26 in Naridon, Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area, where at least 30 residents, including eight children, were reportedly killed during an attack that lasted about three hours.
Kato attributed the persistent attacks largely to alleged land grabbing and the quest for control of natural resources, claiming that some communities had been taken over after their residents were forced to flee.
He said, “So far, more than 100 communities have been displaced. Some of the victims are now living in IDP camps. They are living from hand to mouth and at the mercy of the weather, and human and natural hazards.”
Kato called on the Federal Government and security agencies to investigate the alleged financiers of the attacks, arguing that arresting perpetrators without identifying their sponsors would not bring lasting peace.
Binniyat, who is also the spokesman of the Middle Belt Forum, gave a higher estimate, alleging that about 245 communities had been sacked across Southern Kaduna as of June 2026.
He said the prolonged displacement had created what he described as “a dangerous security vacuum,” which he alleged was being exploited by kidnappers and armed groups.
According to Binniyat, communities in Kachia, Kajuru, Kagarko and Chikun, as well as some Gbagyi settlements in Birnin Gwari, were among those most affected.
He urged the Federal Government to undertake a coordinated security operation to reclaim occupied communities, dismantle armed camps and create conditions for displaced residents to return safely.
Meanwhile, residents told Saturday PUNCH that insecurity had forced some communities in Kachia to enter into informal agreements with armed groups in an attempt to reduce attacks.
The residents alleged that the arrangements had, in some cases, evolved into systems of control, with demands reportedly including money, restrictions on movement, compulsory farm work and other forms of coercion.
A resident of Mai-Ido Kufai, Jessy Francis, said some community leaders entered into negotiations with the armed groups because they hoped it would enable residents to return home and live without fear.
“We believed that if we reached an understanding with them, we would be able to return to our homes and continue our lives peacefully,” Francis said.
He, however, alleged that the arrangement failed to provide lasting peace, claiming that residents in some areas continued to face violence and other forms of intimidation.
Another displaced resident, Danjuma Sunday, said he fled Mai-Goro in 2021 after surviving repeated attacks. He said he now lives in Kachia with his family but occasionally returns to his farm despite the security risks.
Sunday alleged that security personnel sometimes visited affected communities, but the armed groups reportedly returned after the troops withdrew.
However, the Village Head of Ariko, Jashua Doka, said his community had rejected pressure to negotiate with the armed groups.
“People kept telling us to negotiate with them, but I refused. If I negotiate with criminals and God calls me tomorrow, what explanation will I give? I fear God,” Doka said.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Suleiman Shuaibu, said he was unaware of the alleged arrangements when contacted.
“I am just hearing this from you. Can you allow me some time to verify the claims and get back to you?” he said.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Kaduna State Police Command were unsuccessful, as its spokesman, Mansir Hassan, did not respond to calls or a text message sent to him before the report was filed.
Binniyat urged the Federal and Kaduna State governments to prioritise the reconstruction of affected communities and the rehabilitation of displaced residents, warning that continued occupation of the areas could further worsen insecurity in the region.
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