President Bola Tinubu has condemned the deadly attack on Naridon Village in Kaduna State and directed security agencies to arrest those responsible and rescue those who were kidnapped.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Monday in Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area.

About 30 people, including women and children, were killed and several houses were set ablaze.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the attack as a “barbaric and cowardly act of terror” against innocent people.

He said: “I have directed the Armed Forces, police, and relevant intelligence agencies to intensify operations across the affected areas to track down the perpetrators swiftly, secure the release of abducted individuals, and restore normalcy to the region.”

The President warned that those behind the attack would be brought to justice and said anyone seeking to undermine peace in Kaduna would not succeed.

Tinubu also expressed sympathy to the families of those killed, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the state government and the people of Kaduna.

Governor Uba Sani leads a state that has faced repeated bandit and terrorist attacks in recent years.

He assured the state of the Federal Government’s support in tackling insecurity.

He said: “Our administration has an unwavering commitment to strengthening security infrastructure, equipping response personnel, and neutralising criminal networks attempting to disrupt the peace of the nation.”

The President also urged residents to work closely with security agencies by providing useful information. He added: “I urge our local communities to cooperate with security forces by providing actionable intelligence that would help early response efforts.”

Defence Minister Signals Fresh Salary Increase for Nigerian Troops

Meanwhile, Minister of Defense, General Christopher Musa, rtd, says President Bola Tinubu will soon announce salary increment for personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

In a statement by his media aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the minister said the move is part of the Federal Government’s sustained commitment to improving troop welfare and rewarding their sacrifices to the nation.

He recalled previous welfare benchmarks, noting that military pay was successfully raised from ₦49,000 to ₦100,000 during his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff.

General Musa stressed that active steps are currently underway to secure an even better package for the troops.

“I want to state here that a few weeks ago, I mentioned that soldiers are now receiving ₦100,000. When I was Chief of Defence Staff, soldiers were receiving ₦49,000. About two years ago, I pushed for an increase to ₦100,000, and that was achieved. We are, however, making further efforts to increase it again,” Musa stated.

The planned increase follows years of pressure to improve conditions for troops deployed across conflict zones in the North-West, North-East and other hotspots.

It also comes as the government seeks to boost morale and retention amid sustained operations against bandits, terrorists and other armed groups.