ABUJA, Feb. 15 -- At least 18 people have been killed following an attack by gunmen in Nigeria's northwestern state of Zamfara, local police said on Thursday.

Bandits ambushed a group of local hunters in Birani village located in Zurmi area of Zamfara, leading to the fatality on both sides on Wednesday, Muhammad Shehu, a police spokesman told reporters in the state capital of Gusau.

Shehu said only 18 bodies have been found so far, hinting that more people might have died from the attack.

"It is believed that the bandits took away their own members that were killed," he said.

Bush combing is in progress by security agencies to further profile the area and to arrest the perpetrators of the attack, he added.