Dozens of residents have reportedly been killed by gunmen who raided several communities in the Anka and Bukkuyum areas of Nigeria’s north-western Zamfara state, local media reported.
Motorbike-riding bandits attacked villages, shooting indiscriminately and setting houses on fire, villagers told the BBC.
Multiple sources have given different casualty figures – some have put the number of the dead at more than 100.
The attacks have started on Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday as the gunmen moved from one village to another, reports say.
Local media report that the gunmen appeared to be moving to the western part of Zamfara state to escape an onslaught by Nigerian troops.
The government has deployed thousands of troops to fight them.
Recall that the Nigerian government through a statement, has formally designated all armed gangs popularly known as bandits, operating in the country, as terrorist groups.