Many people are believed to have died after assailants suspected to be herdsmen laid siege to five communities in Numan and Demsa Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, and Lau Local Government Area of neighbouring Taraba State.

Sodom Tayedi Daniel, the member representing Numan Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, confirmed that the attack, saying it started at about 4pm on Sunday and went on deep into the night.

Residents said the gunmen arrived their communities on motorcycles, shooting sporadically into the air.

Tayedi added that in one of the communities, many people were caught unawares because it was a market day.