Nigeria bandits raid kills family of 12, official says

Twelve members of one family died after armed gangs set fire to their home during an overnight raid in northern Nigeria's Zamfara state, a local official and residents said.

Sanusi Ahmad, the political administrator of Maradun district, said gunmen on motorcycles attacked a village on the outskirts of Maradun late Saturday and shot indiscriminately.

Ahmad said a man identified as Malam Sani and 11 family members locked themselves in a room to escape the attackers. He said the gunmen set fire to the room after failing to break down the door, and the trapped family members died from heat and suffocation.

Ahmad said seven other residents were abducted. Resident Bello Muhammad gave the same account and death toll, and said the abducted people included six women and a 10-year-old boy.

Zamfara is among several states in northwest and central Nigeria affected by armed gangs known locally as bandits, who carry out kidnapping-for-ransom, cattle rustling and village raids.