Locals in Kaduna State, Nigeria, say that at least 30 people were killed when armed men attacked a village in the area early Monday.
According to residents, security personnel arrived at the village hours after the attack. Among the casualties were eight children, and four more people sustained wounds.
At present, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Violence by armed gangs has become a significant security challenge across parts of the north of the country. The northeast in particular is grappling with a deadly insurgency by Islamist militants Boko haram.
Experts insist that corruption, poor intelligence sharing and underfunded local policing have hindered endeavours to fight the militants.
In December, the US took military action in Nigeria – carrying out airstrikes on two camps run by an Islamist militant group.
