Dozens of people have been killed in a ferocious shooting attack on two villages in Nigeria's western state of Kwara, according to authorities and rights groups. The attackers also set fire to shops and homes, along with the residence of the traditional leader, forcing the residents of Nuku and Woro to flee, local lawmaker Saidu Baba Ahmed told BBC Hausa. Officials have blamed jihadist groups and deployed an army battalion to Kwara's Kaiama constituency. Tuesday's attack, one of several across Nigeria in the last few days, comes as the country's defence minister confirmed to the BBC that a small team of US troops was in the country to help with intelligence and training. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said Islamist militant group Boko Haram was behind the attack. Local lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio stated that Lakurawa, an armed group affiliated with Islamic State, was responsible, according to the Associated Press. Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq reported that 75 local Muslims were massacred in cold blood simply for refusing to surrender to extremists who preached a strange doctrine. Ahmed initially indicated that at least 35 people had died, but human rights groups have since reported more than four times that number of deaths. A Red Cross official in Kwara, Babaomo Ayodeji, indicated that reports suggest the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for additional bodies continues. Amnesty International reported that over 170 people had died, noting the brutality of the attacks including close-shot deaths and burning alive. The ongoing violence has raised alarms over the security situation in Nigeria, with fears of further assaults as the nation grapples with the contribution of U.S. military support in addressing these insidious threats.