More than 100 villagers of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi state have been gruesomely murdered by marauding bandits, FIJ can report.

The incident happened on Thursday around 4pm, but was not publicly known due to the remoteness of the settlements.

On Saturday, Nafiu Abubakar, the spokesperson of the Kebbi Police Command, confirmed the incident to reporters claiming that 66 people lost their lives during the attacks, before later upgrading the figure to 88.

Some locals and residents of the affected communities told FIJ that such attacks had been recurrent but the recent one was more tragic.

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“They came around 4pm on Thursday in their hundreds with AK47 riffles and started shooting sporadically at the people,” one of the residents said.

“We’ve been under constant attacks in Zuruland; we chose to tread the path of peace. We’ve cried and wailed to the high heavens with no hope. We’ve counted more than 100 people killed by bandits in a day. This is one too far.”

FIJ gathered from locals that hundreds of cattle were rustled by the armed group who raided the communities killing armless villagers indiscriminately.

FIJ also understands that not less than 500 persons have died from armed bandits attacks in Kebbi in the last six months.

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Pictures of the incidents seen by FIJ show hundreds of children and women stranded and seeking refuge in neighbouring communities following the attacks.

The affected communities share borders with Niger and Zamfara, two northwestern states embattled with banditry and kidnapping.