The Niger State Emergency Management Agency has said death in the attack at Epogi community in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger has risen to 27.

Director General of SEMA, Mr Ibrahim Inga, told reporters on Tuesday in Minna that 21 people were killed during the attack while three bodies were recovered from a river.

He added that three other victims died at the Federal Medical Centre, Bida.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that 21 people were killed on May 14 when gunmen suspected to be herdsmen invaded the community.

Inga said the gunmen stormed the community at about 6am when Muslims were having their morning prayers in a mosque and killed 21 on the spot.

He explained that there was an argument between one Alhaji Yakubu Yuguda, a herdsman who came to settle on a portion of land in the community, and some members of the community in 2016.

Inga said further that in the ensuing argument, a boy was killed and the matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of Yuguda, who was later released.

He said that after the incident, the community enjoyed relative peace until May 14, when the village was attacked.

The director-general disclosed that the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr Ahmed Ketso, had visited the community and condoled with the victims.

He said an assessment had been carried out by SEMA to provide relief materials to victims, adding that normalcy had returned to the community.

Inga called on members of the community to return to their homes as security operatives had been deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, five persons were killed and six other injured in suicide attacks on Konduga, a town in Borno State, the police said on Tuesday.

The police, in a statement by its spokesman in Borno State, Victor Isuku, a deputy superintendent of police, said the incident occurred at about 9:30pm on Monday.

He revealed that the attacks were by three female suicide bombers who all lost their lives in the incident that also claimed two other lives and injured six others.

The statement read, “Information received from the District Police Officer Konduga, is that on 15/5/17 at about 21:30hrs, three female suicide bombers detonated IED strapped on their bodies at Shuwa settlement of Mandarari ward, Konduga, killing themselves and two others.”