At least 43 people were killed when suspected gunmen stormed a marketplace in northern Nigeria on Monday, according to a local official.

"We just finished a meeting with some stakeholders, and I have confirmed that we unfortunately lost 43 people to that incident," Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto state, said in a statement.

Tambuwal said security forces were dispatched to the region, adding more forces should be deployed to deal with security problems.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the incident, saying the days of those responsible for the attack are numbered.

Earlier, Sokoto government spokesman Muhammad Bello said the assault was carried out by unidentified attackers in the Goronyo region.

He said the attack also left many wounded.

Sokoto is often targeted by armed groups. Twenty people were killed and many others wounded in a similar armed attack on Oct. 10.

In another deadly attack on Oct. 8, 11 people were killed, including children and a mosque imam, and others wounded when suspected gunmen from the outlawed Yan Sakai vigilante group stormed a market in Mamande village in the Gwadabawa local government area of the state./aa