Police in northern Nigeria say armed men killed 30 people in raids on six villages at the weekend.
Residents from two villages said the attacks in Sokoto state were reprisals for refusing to pay protection money to bandits.
One witness, who lives in the Gwadabawa district, told Punch newspaper the coordinated attacks happened after evening prayers in two villages as the same time.
The witnessed added: “After killing them, they set their corpses and those of their animals on fire, ensuring that most of them were burnt beyond recognition.”
The latest attacks come a week after Nigeria new president, Bola Tinubu, took the oath of office and promised reforms to tackle the country’s rampant insecurity.
Better co-ordination, consultation and timely reporting were all needed to improve the way security agencies worked together, Mr Tinubu said at a later meeting of security chiefs.