Gunmen Kill 24 In Attacks of Northern Nigerian States

At least 24 people, including eight soldiers and a police officer, have been killed in two separate attacks in northwestern and central Nigeria, residents and aid workers have told AFP.

In the first attack on Sunday, armed men ambushed a convoy of traders travelling from Gwashi to Gurusu for a weekly market in Bukkuyum district of Zamfara State, killing 13 people.

Lawal Muhammad, a local chief in Bukkuyum, said the victims included eight soldiers, one police officer and four traders, among them a woman. He added that 11 people, including three soldiers, were wounded and taken to hospital.

A resident, Jamilu Umar, said the attackers ransacked vehicles, looted merchandise and set three vehicles on fire before fleeing.

In a separate incident, suspected Lakurawa terrorists killed 11 people during an attack in Borgu district of Niger State, near the border with Benin. Two aid workers said the attack occurred overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

One aid worker said four of those killed were local vigilantes providing security for the village. Another said residents had fled across the border into Benin, fearing further attacks.

The incidents add to the security challenges facing communities in parts of northern Nigeria, where armed gangs and militant groups have carried out deadly raids and ambushes.

SOURCE: AFP