More than 40 people were killed in the attack by unidentified gunmen in Madamai, northwestern Nigeria. A local military base was also attacked by these suspected jihadists, the Kaduna state security official announced on Monday.
The army reportedly repelled the attackers, who in retaliation targeted the towns of Jankasa and Kacecere, killing 8 and wounding six.
The Nigerian military announced on Monday that suspected members of the Islamic State group in West Africa had its camp in Burkusuma on Sunday in Sokoto state in the far northwest of the country.
This week, military sources also alerted to a movement of more than 200 fighters belonging to another jihadist group present in the northeast and heading towards Kaduna state.
For years, a fierce competition for natural resources has pitted transhumant herders and sedentary farmers in central and northwestern Nigeria, the latter accusing the former of plundering their land with their cattle.
Worsened by climate change and the population explosion in this country of 200 million inhabitants, the sporadic violence has led to a serious security crisis, between attacks by heavily armed bandits and endless reprisals between communities.
Criminal gangs, known locally as “bandits” loot villages, steal livestock and carry out kidnappings for ransom.
This year, these gangs have targeted schools and universities, kidnapping more than 1,400 students, according to UNICEF.
Source: News Agencies