Militants killed at least 15 people in coordinated attacks on villages in northwest Nigeria’s Kebbi state, residents and local authorities told AFP on Monday.
The attacks targeted settlements in the Shanga district, including Gebe, Kawara and Kalkami, where gunmen struck during overnight and early morning raids.
Police confirmed the assaults but provided no official death toll, while residents from affected villages reported at least 15 people killed.
A Kalkami resident said armed men crossed from neighbouring Niger State around midnight, opened fire on villagers and burned several homes.
Another resident in Kawara reported that militants killed five people there hours later before setting houses ablaze and forcing families to flee.
The attackers were identified locally as members of the Mahmuda group, linked to the Ansaru militant organisation operating in northwest Nigeria.
Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram, is aligned with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and remains active across parts of northern Nigeria.
Kebbi state, bordering Benin and Niger, has seen rising militant violence since 2025, according to conflict monitor ACLED.
Authorities say the region faces persistent insecurity from both militant groups and armed bandits who attack villages and kidnap residents for ransom.
