Lagos, Jan 3 (IANS): At least 15 people were killed by gunmen in a village in Nigeria's central north Kaduna state, a local resident told Xinhua.

The victims were killed in Ambe-Madaki village by suspected local Fulani herdsmen, Yohana Adamu told Xinhua over telephone.

The suspected Fulani invaders, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, arrived at the village Friday morning and started shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze, said the resident.

Scores of residents sustained various degrees of injuries from gunshots while over 20 houses were set ablaze, Adamu said.

The resident said the incident has triggered a mass protest by people in local communities.

The attack came barely a week after 10 people were killed at Tattaura village in the same region by unidentified gunmen.

A security source in Sanga, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, confirmed the latest attack.

Spokesman of the Kaduna state command, Aminu Lawan, could not be reached for comment.