MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – An armed gang killed at least 18 people in the northwest Nigerian state of Katsina, police and residents said on Wednesday, as unrest spreads across the region and into the president’s home state.
In the latest incident, bandits attacked farmers at the village of Yar Gamji, near Nigeria’s border with Niger, on Tuesday morning killing 18 of them, police said.
The attackers escaped into a nearby forest, police said in a statement.
Residents said that while 18 bodies had been found, many more people were feared dead.
“Right now we are at the Emir’s palace for the mass burial of our relatives, but more than 18 people were killed in this attack,” said Hassan Ibrahim, whose brother was killed.
“There is no peace in Katsina,” he said. “Almost every day they carry out attacks on villagers, killing innocent people.”
