Sawt Falasteen - Dozens killed in jihadist attacks in northwest Nigeria

Members of the Lakurawa group attacked villages in the Bui district of Arewa northern region at around 1:15 pm (1215 GMT) Wednesday, said Kebbi state police spokesman Bashir Usman.

A security report seen by AFP said the jihadists had killed "more than 30 villagers".

Usman told AFP: "Scores of people were killed as residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal, and Dan Mai Ago mobilised to resist the attackers."

A resident in one of the villages told AFP that at least 35 people had been killed.

"We were in our homes, we heard gunshots," said the resident of Kanzo.

"People outside began to run into their shelters, gunshots hit some people," he added.

Police spokesman Usman said the attackers had also made off with cattle in the raids. Police, soldiers and local militia were immediately sent to the area, he added.

- Lakurawa blamed -

The attacks came days after the state hosted the UNESCO-listed Argungu fishing festival, about 60 kilometres (38 miles) from the Arewa region, where the attacks took place.

The Lakurawa group has been blamed for many of the attacks on communities in the northern part of the state and in neighbouring Sokoto state.

Its members stage raids from their forest base, rustling livestock and imposing "taxes" on locals.

Nigeria's government said the Christmas day air strikes by the US military in Sokoto had targeted members of the group and "bandit" gangs.

Some researchers have linked the group to the Islamic State Sahel Province, which is active mainly in neighbouring Niger and Mali, though others remain doubtful.

The activities of the group have compounded Nigeria's insecurity.

The West African nation is grappling with a more than 16-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast, as well as a farmer-herder conflict in the north central region.

They also have to contend with a violent secessionist agitation in the southeast, and kidnappings for ransom plague the northwest.

Nigeria is now looking to the United States for technical and training support for its troops fighting the jihadists after a resurgence of violence strained relationships between the two countries.

The US Africa Command said 200 troops were expected to join the deployment overall.

US President Donald Trump has said the violence there amounts to the "persecution" of Christians -- a framing long used by the US religious and political right wing.

Nigeria's government and many independent experts say Christians and Muslims alike are the victims of the country's security crises.

R.Shaban--SF-PST