Armed gangs killed 21 people in latest bloody attack on villages, police say (Representation)
Kano, Nigeria:
Armed gangs killed 21 people in the latest bloody attacks on villages in northwestern Nigeria, police said.
Attackers attempting to steal cattle killed 15 people in clashes with local residents in six remote communities in Zamfara state, regional police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said on Tuesday.
The armed men – dubbed “bandits” by the authorities – returned the next day and killed six mourners during the funeral of the first victims, according to a statement released Thursday.
North-eastern Nigeria has been ravaged by years of violence, involving clashes between rival communities over land, attacks by heavily armed gangs and reprisal strikes by vigilante groups.
The unrest, which experts say has been fueled by overcrowding and climate change, has left 8,000 people dead and 200,000 fugitives.
Last week, dozens were killed when armed gangs raided a series of villages in neighboring Sokoto state.
Last month, the Nigerian military said it had launched air strikes in an attempt to end the attacks.
Authorities have repeatedly conducted local security operations and peace negotiations, but have failed to end the bloodbath.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
