Gunmen in the north-western Nigerian state of Sokoto have killed at least 21 people in fresh attacks on several villages in Sabon Birni area.
Residents told the BBC that the attackers on motorbikes also looted food items and other essentials in the villages.
The raids were carried out on Tuesday night, with the village of Sangerawa being the worst hit.
The state’s police spokesperson, Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed the killings but said they were still gathering details.
The attacks came as the state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, announced a rise in the death toll to 43 from a Monday attack in Illela town near the Niger border.
The authorities initially said 13 people had been shot dead there – and two others in Goronyo town.
North-western Nigeria has been grappling with armed criminal gangs carrying out killings and kidnappings for ransom.
The authorities are being criticised for failing to tackle the violence despite the deployment of thousands of security forces and the shutting down of internet and mobile phone services in most of the region.
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In other news: US removes Nigeria from list of religious violatorsChris Ewokor
The US has removed Nigeria from the list of religious violators, ahead of the visit by the Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the country.
The US government last year placed Nigeria on its special watch list of states that had engaged in or tolerated the severe violation of religious freedom
Nigeria is not in the 2021 list which has Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Algeria, Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua are also on the special list of governments that have violated religious freedom, according to the US state department.
However, the jihadist groups Boko Haram and Iswap operating in north-east Nigeria, are still designated as entities of particular concern.
Mr Blinken is visiting Nigeria on Thursday on the second leg of his three-nation trip that includes Kenya and Senegal.
He is expected to meet Nigerian President Muhamadu Buhari to discuss how both countries can further co-operate on global health, security, expanding energy access and economic growth.
Nigeria is battling a range of security threats, including the long-running Boko Haram insurgency, inter-communal clashes and more recently, a wave of mass abductions at schools by armed gangs.
Source: BBC
