LAGOS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 vigilantes were killed as gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked a northwestern Nigerian village, local police said on Monday.
The local vigilante members were killed during the attack carried out by gunmen between Saturday and Sunday at Ruwan-Tofa community in Maru area of Zamfara state, said Mohammed Shehu, the state police spokesperson.
The spokesman said trouble started when the bandits stormed the village on Saturday and rustled several cows belonging to the villagers.
Local vigilante members were immediately mobilized in the area and went after the bandits but were caught up in an ambush by the criminals, Shehu told reporters.
He added that the bandits opened fire on the vigilante members, killing 10 people on the spot while many others were injured in the process.
According to Shehu, while 10 bodies were recovered after the attack, 13 others died from severe gunshot injuries while undergoing treatment at local hospitals.
He said that the troops on Sunday rescued six persons who were abducted and taken into the forest by the bandits.
The northern part of Nigeria has witnessed a series of attacks by armed groups in recent months. There have also been recurring incidents of livestock rustling and armed banditry in the region. Enditem
