Boko Haram terrorists have killed at least 14 farmers in a brutal raid on farmlands in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, with fears the death toll may rise.
The attack took place on Saturday near Pulka town in the Gwoza district as the farmers were clearing their land in preparation for the upcoming planting season.
Abba Shehu Timta, the district’s political administrator, confirmed the incident, adding that four others were injured in the assault.
He also stated that search and rescue teams, accompanied by military troops, were scouring nearby bushes for additional victims.
The attack was blamed on Boko Haram militants, who launched the assault from a nearby camp in Vlei village, Timta said.
This region, near the border with Cameroon, has been repeatedly targeted by jihadists in recent years.
Boko Haram, alongside its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has increasingly focused on farmers, fishermen, loggers, and other local workers, accusing them of collaborating with the Nigerian military and anti-jihadist militias.
The attack comes just days after Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum lamented the “military setbacks” in the ongoing battle against jihadist groups, who have entrenched themselves in areas like the Lake Chad islands, Sambisa Forest, and the Mandara Mountains.