According to local sources, criminal gangs locally known as bandits invaded the villages at around 5 pm. local time (GMT+1) on Sunday, fired bullets indiscriminately and torched at least 20 houses.

State security commissioner Samuel Aruwan said in a communique that troops had come under fire before forcing the assailants to withdraw after an intense exchange. He said two suspects were being questioned in connection with the Sunday ambush.

Aruwan said in a separate statement that one person had been killed and few worshipers had been seriously hurt as bandits attacked a church on Sunday in Kachia's district of Kaduna state.

Meanwhile, a member of the Sokoto State assembly on Monday told media that gunmen attacked a remote army base in the northwestern state, killing at least 22 Nigerian security personnel, including 14 soldiers, five police officers and three members of a civil defence force.

Bandits have terrorised northwest and central parts of Nigeria for years, and the Nigerian military has strengthened its operations against the armed criminal groups in the region.