Suspected jihadists slaughtered more than 40 people across several villages in Nigeria.

The attacks, which began late on Sunday, have hit at least nine villages in Kebbi state and neighbouring Niger state, a local clergyman said on Wednesday. 

No group has immediately claimed responsibility, but residents and police blamed a local jihadist group known as Mahmuda.

'In the areas where we have our people, I can confirm that 24 have been killed, but from the reports we are getting today, there are more than 40 killed,' one clergy said, asking not to be named for security reasons.

Another Christian leader also gave a toll of around 40.

'They killed everybody in sight, they killed Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers.

'They killed indiscriminately,' he said, adding they burnt churches, houses of Muslims, sheep and cattle, as well as food barns.

He said the attackers had been rampaging through the area 'for the last three days'.

'People can't even go back to bury their dead,' he said.

At least 500 people have fled and are being sheltered in churches and schools in Yauri town in Kebbi state.

Mahmuda group, active in northwest Nigeria, is affiliated with Mahmud al-Nigeri, a senior official in the Ansaru jihadist group.

Ansaru broke away from the Boko Haram militant group and has since allied itself with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI).

Kebbi state sits on Nigeria's border with Benin and Niger, and since 2025 has been targeted by a rising number of jihadist attacks.

Conflict monitor ACLED says there has been a surge in violence in the area carried out by groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Like other states in northern Nigeria, it faces both jihadist attacks and criminal groups, known locally as 'bandits', who attack villages and take hostages for ransom.