At least 21 people have been killed by gunmen in separate attacks in Talata Mafara and Maru local Government Areas of Zamfara State, police and residents said.

Police said 21 people were killed in the attacks, but residents of the affected communities said 25 people died in the attacks.

People were killed in Awala Zaman Gida, Yargada Bolakke, and Gidan Runji communities all in Maru and Talata Mafara councils areas.

The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Muhammad Shehu, in a statement, confirmed the attacks, he however, refuted some media reports claiming that over one hundred people were killed in the attacks.

Also, the police said the gunmen on June 3 attacked and killed six people in four villages namely:- Gidan Dan Kani, Tungar lauti, Inwala and Dangodo villages in Talata Mafara Local Government Area.