Bandits are said to have killed 32 people in separate attacks on four communities in Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

Ungwan Gamu, Dogon Noma, Ungwan Sarki, and Maikori are the communities affected.

The police have yet to confirm the incident, but Titus Dauda, the District Head of Kufena, told Channels Television that the attacks took place on Sunday and that 32 people were killed, as well as a church and several houses being destroyed.

He went on to say that the bandits attacked Dogon Noma in the early hours of Sunday morning, killing several people, mostly men, before moving on to Ungwan Gamu and Maikori villages, where they also killed people and burned down houses.

The district head went on to say that the victims had been laid to rest, and that residents had fled the affected communities for fear of being attacked.

A resident of one of the communities also claimed that a helicopter was seen shooting at the residents from above, while the remaining bandits were on the ground waiting to attack any fleeing residents.

However, a top security source countered the claim, saying that the military engaged the bandits both by ground and air, adding that this eventually forced the bandits to retreat.