Witnesses say the motorcycle riding gunmen attacked three communities in northern Nigeria, killing and abducting dozens.

Gunmen on motorcycles have rampaged through three villages in northern Nigeria, killing at least 46 people and abducting several more, according to witnesses and local police.

The raids by gunmen happened in villages in the Borgu local government area in Niger State, on the border with Kwara and Katsina states, a humanitarian source told AFP news agency on Saturday.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bloodiest attack happened in the village of Konkoso, where at least 38 people were shot dead or had their throats slit.

Most of the homes in the village were burned down and apart from those already counted as dead, “other bodies are being recovered,” the source added.

A resident of Konkoso told AFP the gunmen first attacked the nearby village of Tungar Makeri before heading to his village.

The raids come amid a complex security crisis in northern Nigeria, featuring armed groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS) as well as gangs that abduct people for ransom money.

Wasiu Abiodun, ‌the Niger State police spokesperson, confirmed the attack in one of the villages.

“Suspected bandits invaded Tunga-Makeri village,” he said. “Six persons lost their lives, some houses were also set ablaze, and a yet-to-be ascertained number of persons were abducted.”

He added that the assailants moved on to Konkoso village, while details of other attacks remained unclear.

Jeremiah Timothy, a resident of Konkoso, told the Reuters news agency the ⁠attackers entered the village around 6am (05:00 GMT) on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately. He said residents heard military jets flying overhead.

“They were operating freely without the presence of any security,” Abdullahi Adamu, another resident of Konkoso, told The Associated Press news agency.

The border between Niger and Kwara states is home to the Kainji Forest, a known haven for bandits and fighters, including from the armed group Boko Haram.

Last October, the al-Qaeda affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) also claimed responsibility for its first attack on Nigerian soil, near Woro, in Kwara State.

Religious and community leaders from the Borgu area in Niger State last week called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a military base in the area to put an end to the recurring attacks, Nigerian media reported.