Armed group kills 9 in central Nigeria attack

At least nine people were killed earlier this week when a group of armed men attacked a community in central Nigeria, a local official said Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The armed men wreaked havoc when they encircled the Aliko community in the Agatu local government area of Benue, in the country's central region, macheting residents, including a heavily pregnant woman, in the Sunday afternoon attack, Yakubu Ochepo, head of the local government area, told reporters.

More than 500 people were displaced and many others were wounded, Ochepo said, noting that "only seven corpses have been recovered so far by a local team of rescuers."

He lamented the attacks by armed groups in the Agatu area of the state since the beginning of the year, calling on the federal government to stem the tide of these attacks.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in several regions of Nigeria, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months.