By Ahmed KingimiMAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) -Gunmen in Nigeria killed eight people on Sunday and abducted at least 60 others in two communities of northwest Zamfara state, residents and a local traditional leader said, two days after armed men kidnapped dozens from a university in the state. The attackers set fire to five vehicles and drove off with one truck, the witness said. Residents said gunmen early on Sunday tried to attack a forward army base in a rural Magami community of Zamfara, but were repelled. Zamfara is one of the states worst affected by kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs known locally as bandits. Attacks in the northwest are part of widespread insecurity in Nigeria.

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Persons: Ahmed Kingimi MAIDUGURI, Bola Tinubu, Shuaibu Haruna, Haruna, Isa Mohd, Ahmed Kingimi, MacDonald Dzirutwe, David Holmes Organizations: Reuters, Gunmen, Residents, Sunday, Police Locations: Nigeria, Zamfara, Magami, Kabasa, Maiduguri