Nigeria: Armed 'bandits' kill more than 20 in Zamfara state

More than 20 people were killed after gunmen attacked several villages in Talata Mafara in Nigeria's northern Zamfara state on Wednesday.

Nasiru Lauwali, a local councilor representing the Sauna district, told AFP that 21 people had been killed.

Meanwhile, Sauna district secretary Alhaji Shehu Garba said 23 people had been killed across five villages.

Three others wounded by gunfire were transferred to a hospital in neighboring Sokoto state.

Bandits remain a threat in Nigeria

Local residents told SaharaReporters that the raid began at around 2 p.m. on Wednesday and went "unhindered" for around three hours. Some residents accused local security forces of not intervening.

The attackers also rustled a large number of livestock, according to the news outlet.

Armed gangs, known locally as "bandits," are a constant threat in northwestern and central Nigeria. They typically raid villages, steal livestock and kidnap residents for ransom.

The bandit raids are separate from the ongoing jihadi insurgency in the northeast of the country led by militant group Boko Haram.