ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) 鈥� Armed men attacked remote villages in northcentral Nigeria, killing at least a dozen villagers during a late-night raid, authorities said Tuesday.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which follows in the region blamed on the fight for control over water and land between . These raids have so far killed hundreds in the region.
The local Punch newspaper cited witnesses as saying at least 40 people were killed in Plateau鈥檚 Wase district on Monday night. However, government officials told The Associated Press only 12 casualties have so far been confirmed.
It is common for official figures to be less than that of witness accounts in such attacks.
The attackers opened fire on villagers in Wase鈥檚 Zurak community, forcing many to flee into nearby bushes, Musa Ashoms, the state commissioner for information said. 鈥淲e are trying to comb the area to see whether we have more casualties or people with bullet wounds,鈥� he added.
The motorcycle-riding gunmen attacked the village following a security operation that targeted their hideouts and aimed to 鈥渨ipe鈥� them out of the area, Idris Wase, a federal legislator from Plateau鈥檚 Wase district said.
Locals have repeatedly expressed concern over how the assailants can attack villages for hours and escape before security forces arrive on the scene.
Arrests following such attacks are rare.
In December, assailants during an attack that targeted more than a dozen communities over two days.
Chinedu Asadu, The Associated Press
