UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has strongly condemned the attacks perpetrated over the weekend in Nigeria’s Zamfara State in which scores of civilians were killed.
UN chief, who spoke through his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
According to reports, an estimated 200 people or more were killed in villages in the Northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara during deadly reprisals by armed bandits following military air strikes on their hideouts.
The bandits stormed five villages in Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas from Tuesday to Wednesday and left behind a trail of blood.
The bandits burnt down the five villages, killed many residents and mutilated their bodies.
As at Saturday morning, 200 people had been buried in funerals.
The secretary-general urged the Nigerian authorities to spare no effort in bringing those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice.
Guterres reaffirms the solidarity and support of the United Nations to the government and people of Nigeria in their fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime.