At least 20 people were killed Friday evening in violence between Kambari and Fulani communities in Kokoli, a village in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, a local lawmaker said.
Shettiman Borgu Jafar Muhammad told BBC Hausa Service that the attack has worsened what he described as an increasingly disturbing security situation in the region.
He alleged that the assailants looted victims and seized weapons and motorcycles.
Local media reported that more than 300 households fled their homes, seeking refuge in nearby bushes.
The incident has heightened fears among residents of Borgu and Agwara, where communities have already been struggling with persistent bandit attacks.
Muhammad said the violence now appears to involve internal clashes, allegedly between vigilante groups and other armed factions, in addition to bandit activity.
He added that he has raised the matter with Nigeria’s Presidency for urgent intervention.
The killings add to an already fragile security environment in Niger State, where communal tensions and banditry have displaced thousands in recent years.
