Islamist militants accused of killing 34 in raids on Nigerian villages

(Mansur Abubakar – BBC) At least 34 people have been killed in coordinated attacks by suspected Islamist militants on several villages in north-western Nigeria, officials have told the BBC. The gunmen launched simultaneous assaults on multiple communities in a remote border district of Kebbi state on Tuesday, overwhelming local defences and forcing residents to flee their homes. Survivors described the attackers as highly organised, saying they swept through villages firing indiscriminately at residents. Officials have blamed the relatively new insurgent group Lakurawa, which is known to operate in the area. It was targeted by US air strikes in December further north, in Sokoto state. – Lakurawa militants accused of killing 34 in Nigeria’s Kebbi state