Bandits kill over 50 in Kaduna; Nigerian forces launch counterattacks

Over 50 people were killed and several others were injured as suspected bandits attacked some villages in Igabi Local Government Area of Nigeria's Kaduna State, Vanguard reported on Monday.

The attacks reportedly took place over the weekend and affected villages include Kerawa, Rago, Marina, Zariyawa, Hashimawa, Gidan Musa Saidu, and Unguwar Barau.

Media reports quoting locals said that there is a heavy presence of Nigerian forces in the area however authorities have not yet confirmed the attacks.

An indigene of Giwa local government told Channels Television that Troops of the Nigerian Army and Air Force launched offensive attacks against the bandits and in the process, killed many of them. The report added that the military is still carrying out offensive attacks on camps occupied by the bandits inside the thick forests within Giwa, Birnin Gwari and Igabi local government areas.

Vanguard in their report said that locals suspect the gunmen, who attacked the villages, are associated with Boko Haram and these might be a part of "revenge" on the villagers who they accused of providing information to security agencies which resulted in the death of their members in previous weeks.