At least 16 people have been confirmed killed in an attack on Friday by suspected bandits in the Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The police spokesperson in the state, Nafi’u Abubakar, said two soldiers, a police officer and 13 residents were killed during the attack at Dankade village.
The police spokesperson also debunked reports on some news platforms that 50 deaths were recorded in the incident.
Mr Abubakar, who confirmed the figure to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said, “The incident happened on Friday around 3.00 p.m.”
He said suspected bandits, believed to be from Zamfara, invaded the community and unleashed terror on civilians and the security personnel.
“On hearing of the invasion, the police patrol teams mobilised to the village and engaged them in a gun duel resulting in the loss of one of our police officers and two army personnel.
“Thirteen civilians were killed, and we also eliminated an unknown number of bandits in the duel.”
Mr Abubakar said the bandits also set some houses ablaze.
He said an investigation had commenced and called on the general public to assist the command with relevant information to facilitate the arrest of the bandits.
The spokesperson said that the police, with the support of members of the public, would evolve strategies to prevent the recurrence of such attacks.
There have been cases of killings and adductions by bands of armed bandits in Kebbi as in some other states in the Nigerian Northwest.
Last year, over a hundred students were kidnapped from a secondary school in Yauri, some of whom were only recently released after months in captivity with the bandits.