A deadly raid in northwest Nigeria has left at least 10 people dead and 40 others abducted after armed men attacked Tofa town in Sokoto State, according to a security report prepared for the United Nations and a resident of the area.
The attack happened on Sunday in Tofa, located in Rabah district, with the assailants also making away with a large number of livestock, according to local resident Hadiyyatullahi Hamisu.
A report seen by AFP on Monday said the attackers were armed bandits linked to Bello Turji, a well-known bandit leader operating from neighbouring Zamfara State.
"Armed bandits... killed at least 10 people" and kidnapped "at least 40" in the raid, the report said.
Rabah district lies along the border with Zamfara, an area where armed groups have established camps in forests stretching across several states in northwest and central Nigeria.
The gangs, commonly referred to as "bandits", have for years carried out attacks on rural communities, abducting residents for ransom and demanding payments from farmers and miners operating in areas under their influence.
Unlike jihadist groups, the bandits are mainly driven by financial gains, although some gangs have at times worked with Islamist militants who have expanded beyond their traditional bases in northeastern Nigeria.
Hamisu confirmed the figures given in the security report, saying the attackers killed 10 people and abducted at least 40 others before stealing livestock from the community.
Police in Sokoto had not responded to an AFP request for information about the raid at the time of publication.
The security report said the latest attack reflects the continued use of abductions by bandit groups to raise money while using violence to frighten communities and strengthen their hold over affected areas.
It warned that the violence could also affect humanitarian work in the region, citing a "heightened risk of attacks" that could "disrupt humanitarian activities".
The security situation in northwest Nigeria has become more difficult as rural communities face attacks from both bandits and jihadist groups.
Islamist militants have increasingly moved beyond their strongholds in the northeast following Boko Haram's 2009 uprising, with factions spreading into other parts of the country.
The growing threat was highlighted last month when about 30 Muslim worshippers were killed after suspected jihadists attacked the town of Ungushi in Sokoto's Kebbe district during Friday prayers, according to local officials.