More than 30 people were killed in northern Nigeria when gunmen attacked Kasuwan Daji village in Kabe district of Niger state, police said Sunday.

"Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, and some persons were also kidnapped. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the kidnapped victims," police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said.

The attackers opened fire on the community, burned homes and the local market, and looted shops for food during the raid on Saturday evening.

Residents say the death toll may exceed 40, with many still missing, including children abducted during the attack.

Nigeria's kidnapping crisis

The gunmen are also believed to have carried out raids that began Friday in the nearby villages of Agwarra and Borgu.

"Women and children were not spared," said Dauda Shakulle, who was wounded while fleeing. "There has been no presence of security forces since the attacks began. We are currently recovering corpses."

Nigeria has for years grappled with armed groups, known locally as "bandits," that raid villages and abduct people for ransom, particularly in the northwest and central parts of the country.

Saturday's attack happened near the Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped from a Catholic school in November.

Banditry has intensified in recent months, and in early December Defense Minister Badaru Abubakar resigned amid the spate of abductions.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's northeast has been beset by an Islamist insurgency, with militants also carrying out kidnappings.

Edited by: Sean Sinico