Boko Haram Kills 15 Farmers, Beheads Some In Borno
Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed 15 farmers around Ala and Musune wards of Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, some of whom the group reportedly beheaded.
The victims were ambushed on their farmlands on Wednesday evening.
The killing followed the same pattern in Borno State where, in 2020, 43 farmers were killed in one fell swoop, with about 30 of them beheaded in the Boko Haram attack on the village of Zabarmari, even though residents said 70 people in all were feared dead.
Human Rights organisation Amnesty International immediately condemned the attack and described the killings as horrific.
According to local sources, only 15 bodies out of the 18 people who went to the farms were found and buried on Thursday, while three others remained missing.
The Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police command, Nahum Daso, who confirmed the incident on Friday, said; “Efforts of security forces are ongoing to determine the whereabouts of the missing persons.
“Yes, there was an attack in Marte. 15 people were killed while others are still missing. Efforts are ongoing to determine their whereabouts.”
Daso said details of the incident were still sketchy, adding that the police would give an update as soon as data gathering was complete.
Local sources said the victims were peasant farmers and firewood gatherers, including young men, married men and elders.
“They were ambushed by terrorists while carrying out their daily work, bound, forced to lie down, and executed at close range,” one source said.
“Many people were killed. Some were not even recognisable. So far, we have buried 15 out of the 18; we are currently searching for three persons.”
Another source said community members retrieved the bodies from the scene and buried them according to Islamic rites.
“It was after the incident that community members picked their bodies from the farm where they were massacred. The bodies found have been buried according to Islamic rites,” the source said.
