No fewer than 10 people have been feared killed following an attack by armed bandits on a grain market in Guga village, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the attack, which reportedly occurred on Sunday, threw the community into panic as the assailants opened fire on traders and residents who had gathered at the market.
A pregnant woman was said to be among those killed during the invasion.
According to Channels Television, eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the market in broad daylight and began shooting indiscriminately.
The attackers were said to have operated for several hours without resistance, leaving behind deaths, destruction, and fear among residents of the agrarian community.
According to residents, many of the victims were farmers from neighbouring communities who had travelled to Guga market to sell their produce before they were caught in the attack.
The farmers were said to have come from communities including Gidan Sarkin Noma and Gidan Wawo, both in the Bakori Local Government Area.
Apart from the killings, the bandits reportedly set several houses ablaze during the attack.
They were also said to have rustled an unspecified number of livestock, including cows, goats, and sheep.
Residents said the scale of destruction had worsened the already fragile security situation in the area, where many families have been displaced by repeated attacks.
The victims were reportedly buried on Monday morning in Guga village.
Residents said a mass funeral was held for them in the Gidan Sarkin Noma and Gidan Wawo communities, where some of the deceased hailed from.
The burial drew mourners from surrounding villages, many of whom expressed concern over the recurring attacks in Bakori and other parts of Katsina State.
PrimeTimes Nigeria understands that neither the Katsina State Government nor the state police command had issued an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.