‘Southern Kaduna’, ‘Fulani Herdsmen’ – are currently trending. If you’ve spent any time looking through the Nigerian social media space over the past few days, you may have noticed chatter about a possible massacre currently happening in Southern Kaduna.

On May 26th, Sahara Reporters revealed how a 12-year-old-boy fought off suspected herdsmen attackers in a village in Southern Kaduna.

According to the report, the child bravely fought off attackers as they attempted to hack his father. Thankfully, father and son survived the ordeal, and are receiving care in a hospital for the grievous injuries sustained.

Tragically however, other victims of the attack weren’t fortunate to tell the tale. The attacked child’s mother, some family members and at least three other people within the following villages of Southern Kaduna: Idazau, Etissi, Bakin Kogi, Dutsen Gora, UN Gora, Pushu Kallah and Magunguna, which Sahara Reporters states were killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Also affected were 78 people who were injured, 607 houses which were destroyed and 231 cows which were allegedly stolen.

While these are truly horrific and unacceptable circumstances to experience, especially in the midst of a global pandemic, very little is to be found on the Southern Kaduna attacks in the Nigerian mainstream press. Noting the lapse, Nigerians on social media, particularly Twitter have taken up digital arms, to fire the alarm on the happenings.

The Nigerian government is yet to put out a statement, deploy security forces or in any way tangentially address the situation in Kaduna State. We wait to see how their reaction can save lives in the state and we can only pray that our combined voices can make a difference in bringing attention to the plight of those within the region.

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