KADUNA, Nigeria, March 2 (Reuters) - An armed gang killed at
least 50 people in attacks on villages in the northern Nigerian
state of Kaduna on Sunday, Kaduna's governor said on Monday on a
visit to the affected communities.
Governor Nasiru El-rufai said the gunmen are suspected to
have come from the neighbouring states of Katsina, Zamfara and
Niger Republic, adding that troops had been sent to the area.
Hundreds of people have been killed in the northwest of
Nigeria since last year, in attacks the government attributes to
bandits - a loose term for gangs of outlaws carrying out
robberies and kidnappings.
Houses and vehicles were set ablaze by the gunmen in the
Kaduna state attack.
Police spokesman Muhammed Jalige said the gunmen invaded the
five villages of Hashimawa, Marina, Kerawa, Unguwan Musa and
Zariyawa between 05:00 and 08:00 GMT on Sunday.
Security experts say Nigeria can ill afford more instability
as it is already struggling to contain Islamist insurgencies in
the northeast, conflict in central states and militant groups in
the Niger Delta to the southeast.
The death toll from violence continues to rise in Nigeria,
along with incidents of kidnapping and robbery.