Dozens killed by gunmen in Nigeria attack

Gunmen on foot have killed dozens of people during simultaneous attacks on several villages in northern Nigeria.

Residents of the remote villages in Kaduna state say the attackers arrived on Sunday in large numbers and started shooting people and burning their homes.

A police spokesperson in the state said they were assessing the number of casualties following the attacks in Igabi area.

But residents and the local member of parliament told the BBC that around 50 people were killed and many others injured.

The region has faced repeated attacks by armed gangs and Islamist militants, who also carry out kidnappings for ransom.

The Nigerian government is under increasing pressure to address security challenges in the northern region, including the Boko Haram insurgency.

The latest attacks come a few weeks after the Nigerian police launched a series of raids on armed groups hiding in a dense forest in the area.