​​​​​​​Abuja, Jan 4: At least 30 people were killed, and several others abducted when gunmen raided Kasuwan-Daji village of Niger state in the northern part of the country on Sunday.

In a statement, the Police said the gunmen stormed the village, opening fire on residents and setting fire to the local market and several houses. The attack is the latest in a cycle of deadly violence in the conflict-hit region.

Authorities said the attackers came from the National Park Forest along the Kabe district, highlighting a pattern in which expansive, abandoned forest reserves are used as hideouts by armed gangs.

The attack came weeks after gunmen seized more than 300 children and staff of a Catholic school in the state in central Nigeria. Those victims were released after nearly a month in captivity.