President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned over the killing of over 40 farmers on rice fields by Boko Haram insurgents at Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
Buhari’s position on the killings was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, entitled, ‘President Buhari condemns as insane, Boko Haram killing of farmers in Borno State.’
Shehu quoted Buhari as saying, “I condemn the killing of our hard-working farmers by terrorists in Borno State.
“The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings.
“My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls rest in peace.”
Boko Haram had on Saturday reportedly killed over 40 rice farmers in Kwashebe village, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.
The village is near Maiduguri, the state capital.
The terrorists were reported to have first tied up the farmers, who were working in rice fields, before slitting their throats.
A leader of a vigilante group, Babakura Kolo, who helped the survivors after the attack, told AFP that the insurgent group frequently attacked farmers in the area.
“We have recovered 43 dead bodies, all of them slaughtered, along with six others with serious injuries,” Kolo said.
Another vigilante member with the Zamarmari group, Ibrahim Liman, also told AFP that the deceased were labourers from Sokoto State who had travelled to Kwashebe to find work.
He also gave the death toll to be 43, adding that six persons were injured and eight kidnapped.
“There were 60 farmers who were contracted to harvest paddy in the rice fields. Forty-three were slaughtered, with six injured,” Liman said.
Meanwhile, more than 66 people, mostly rice farmers and fishermen were killed by suspected members of Boko Haram sect in Koshobe village near Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, reliable sources have said.
The attack also left scores of people injured from gunshot wounds. The incident happened on a day Borno was conducting its first local government election after more than a decade.
A security operative not authorized to talk to the press, confirmed the incident, saying the attack took place yesterday. Koshobe, located north east, an a village under Mafa Local Government Area, mostly a Hausa and Saurian settlement who engage in farming and fishing is about 25 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.
Sources said, the attackers armed with Ak-47 rifles surrounded the Koshobe River when victims were busy fishing on the banks of the river and opened fire, leaving 66 persons including women dead.
Others sustained gunshot wounds. “No fewer than 66 people have been killed this morning in Koshobe, a community under Mafa LGA after Dusuman.
The victims were reported to have been slaughtered in a rice farm while other were fishing in the nearby river. So far, 43 bodies have been recovered and currently in Zabarmari town of Jere Local Government Area.
The attackers were more than 100 who came on motor bike numbering about 50,” one fleeing resident, Adamu Abdullahi said.
Another resident of Zabarmari, who gave his name as Haruna Isa said he saw some security vehicles including that of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) conveying the remains of the slain victims to an undisclosed hospital in Maiduguri Saturday evening.
“Yes, there was an attack by insurgents on some fishermen in Koshobe village yesterday, although, I don’t know the actual number of casualties, but I saw some security vehicles conveying remains of the victims to Maiduguri this evening,” Isa stated.
All effort to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations officer, DSP Edet Okon proved abortive as his phone could not be reached at press time. But the House of Representatives member, representing Jere Federal Constituency, Satomi Ahmed, confirmed the incident.
