Boko Haram Kills 43 Rice Farmers In Borno

At least 43 farmers have been killed in a terrorist attack in Jere council area of Borno on Saturday.

The attack occurred on rice farms in Koshebe area of Zabramari village in Jere.

Local hunters involved in search operations have retrieved 43 bodies of farmers found dead, with their throats slit.

Borno police spokesperson DSP Edet Okon said the police was yet to briefed.

The state government is yet to comment on the incident.

Labourers from Sokoto

It is thought the victims were labourers from Sokoto state in northwest Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work, the AFP reported, quoting Ibrahim Liman, a member of the Civilian JTF.

“There were 60 farmers who were contracted to harvest paddy in the rice fields. Forty-three were slaughtered, with six injured,” Liman said.

Eight others were missing, presumed to have been kidnapped by the jihadists, the agency reports Liman saying.

The bodies were taken to Zabarmari village, two kilometres away, where they would be kept ahead of burial on Sunday, said resident Mala Bunu who took part in the search and rescue operation.

A member of House Representatives, Ahmed Satomi, who represents Jere federal constituency also confirmed the incident.

“It was a very sad development that happened today at Zabarmari rice field general area,” he said.

“Farmers and fishermen were killed in cold blood. We have so far received 44 corpses from the farms and we are preparing for their burials tomorrow by God’s grace.”

The lawmaker said the farmers “were attacked because they had on Friday disarmed and arrested a Boko Haram gunman who had been tormenting them.”

The Borno State police public relations officer, Edet Okon, did not respond when reached by phone Saturday night. He did not also respond to a WhatsApp message sent to him.