Nigeria has announced that 18 people have been killed in an armed attack in Benue state on Sunday.

In a statement to the local press, the head of Kastina-Ala local government area, Justin Shako, said the attack was carried out by unknown assailants in the Benue State area.

Shako noted that 18 people were killed and many others injured in the attack.

He said the state government had deployed additional security forces to the area following the attack.

Benue State has been the scene of occasional armed attacks, most recently on 16 July when 12 people were killed in the Agatu area.

Nigeria has recently faced attacks by armed gangs and terrorist organisations such as the ISIS-linked Boko Haram in different parts of the country.