Suspected militants have killed at least eight residents of Igbo Olomu, Bolorunduro, Ajegunle, and Oke Muti, boundary communities of Lagos and Ogun states.

The killings, which were carried out on Thursday night, have caused residents of the communities to flee their homes.

This comes after reports of an earlier shooting by a suspected militant group in Ikorodu Local Government Area, of Lagos State.

The militants reportedly began attacks after operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) killed two its members. They claimed that members of the community had tipped off security personnel.

Although the Niger Delta Avengers have not claimed responsibility for these attacks, they are the latest militant group to emerge from the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

They announced their existence in April 2016.

Over the past few weeks, the group has carried out several attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region.

It has vowed to cripple the Nigerian economy by bringing the oil production of the country to zero unless its demands are met.

They want greater control of oil revenues from the region, an end to pollution and perhaps the biggest of all; independence for the southern region.

The Nigerian government has made efforts to dialogue with the group, attempts which have proven abortive.

The Avengers have also denied any ceasefire agreement with the Nigerian government.

•Source: tv360Nigeria.com. Photo shows Niger Delta militants.