ABUJA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 32 villagers were killed early this week in raids by bandits on three villages in Nigeria's northwestern state of Kaduna, a senior official said Thursday.

       In a statement released Thursday, Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna, said reports by security agencies show bandits in large numbers stormed the Dogon Noma, Ungwan Sarki and Ungwan Maikori villages in the Kajuru local government area of the state Sunday, attacking and killing locals.

       "Thirty-two persons have been confirmed dead following the attacks," the governor's statement said.

       He said following the attacks Sunday, security agencies and traditional leaders in the locations had been updating the government on the development.

       According to El-Rufai, the bandits attacked the first two villages and killed 31 persons. They then headed into Ungwan Maikori where they killed another person and burned some houses, he added.