ABUJA, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of an attack by gunmen in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara has risen to 36, according to the official News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.
A total of 36 people had been buried as of early Friday amidst outrage in the social media that the tragedy was being downplayed and that there has been no official reaction, NAN reported.
Local police told Xinhua on Thursday that bandits ambushed a group of local hunters in Birani village located in Zurmi area of Zamfara, leading to the fatality on both sides on Wednesday.
Muhammad Shehu, a police spokesman, said only 18 bodies were found as of Thursday, hinting that more people might have died from the attack.
Bush combing is in progress by security agencies to further profile the area and to arrest the perpetrators of the attack.
