"Security agencies have confirmed to the Kaduna State Government that 38 people were killed across the locations attacked," Kaduna State commissioner for internal security and home affairs Samuel Aruwan said.

The attacks occurred in the early hours of Sunday across several villages in Idasu, in the Giwa local government area of the state.

Aruwan said the attacks had been carried out by "bandits" - well-known armed groups that have been behind a number of killings and mass abductions in the most populous country in Africa.

It was not initially clear why they attacked these villages in particular, although they have been known to do so as acts of retaliation for their members being killed.

Attacks and kidnappings are frequent in northern Nigeria by criminal gangs and Islamist terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.

The criminal groups are becoming increasingly better armed with the proceeds from their robberies and ransoms.

The Nigerian military, which has been deployed to contain their activities, has met with little success.

Australian Associated Press