Nigeria: The Boko Haram armed group has claimed responsibility for the weekend bloody attack on a village in Niger that left at least 27 dead. Several people were wounded and some reported missing in the assault on Saturday evening on Toumour in the Diffa region, said a senior local official on Monday.

This attack took place on Saturday and left at least 27 villagers dead and several other critically injured on Toumour in the Diffa region, said a senior local official.

Through a video message sent exclusively to the media, Boko Haram claimed responsibility of one of the deadliest attacks in the region. "We hereby inform the world that we are responsible for the attack in the town of Diffa in Niger Republic yesterday," the video said. The message was delivered by a jihadist fighter who was clad in military camouflage with his face swathed in a turban, according to the reports. Speaking in the regional language Hausa, he claimed, "We carried out the attack with the power of Allah and His help."

These attacks happened a few hours before the municipal and regional elections were scheduled to take place in Niger on Sunday. The Islamist group, which is led by elusive leader Abubakar Shekau, has been actively revolting against the authorities by carrying out such deadly attacks and killing villagers in cold blood. The attack, which is one of many in recent months, will not be the last one, the group has claimed. Boko Haram has warned Christians that they will be more of such attacks, especially before Christmas.

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