In a renewed attack on Niger, bandits kill eight people and kidnap dozens more.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday night, eight people were reportedly slain and many more were abducted in attacks on communities in Niger State's Rafi Local Government Area.

Three people were slain in Maguzawa, a town 25 kilometres from Kagara in Niger State and 12 kilometres from Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, on Wednesday night.

Women and children were among those taken, according to many sources, and many inhabitants have fled to Kagara and Pandogari in Niger State, as well as Birnin Gwari.

"In Maguzawa, we have seen three corpses so far, and they were butchered," a source who requested anonymity said. For the time being, we don't know how many individuals they took with them."

The attack in Maguzawa came less than 48 hours after robbers raided Gidigore, a town located in the Rafi Local Government Area, on Tuesday night, killing at least five people and kidnapping dozens more.

Many communities in the Rafi Local Government Area have been under siege by bandits for the past three weeks, residents said our correspondent.

Many people had fled their houses to Kagara and Pandogari in Niger State, as well as Burnin Gwari, according to Ibrahim Ahmad, whose brother was among those kidnapped Tuesday night in Gidigore.

"We have seen roughly ten distinct attacks on various communities in Rafi Local Government Area in less than three weeks." It happens on a daily basis. Bandits assaulted the communities of Gulbi, Unguwan-Jaye, and Kusherki in the previous two weeks, killing eight people and kidnapping 36 others, while one person was critically injured.

He continued, "As I speak with you, they have demanded N50 million for the first group of victims they kidnapped."

Several houses and belongings belonging to peasant farmers were set ablaze during the raid, which lasted several hours, according to Ahmad.

He urged the government, organisations, and individuals to provide humanitarian aid, particularly food and clothing for children, to ease their suffering.

The attack on Gidigore was confirmed by the Niger State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, but the newest attack was yet to be validated.

"Approximately three people were killed in the incident, and an unknown number of people were abducted, while two houses were set on fire," he stated.