At least 12 farmers killed in northern Nigeria

At least 12 farmers are reported to have been shot dead by gunmen in Katsina state in northern Nigeria.

Residents said the attackers, known locally as bandits, invaded the village and fired on the farmers as they were working on their fields.

Some houses were also torched.

A local police officer disputed the casualty figures but said the gunmen on motorcycles stormed the community and shot indiscriminately.

He said security forces had been deployed to the area.

The killings come just hours after 40 farmers were killed by suspected Boko Haram fighters in the north-eastern state of Borno.

Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari.

This article originally appeared in BBC News

Photo: AFP