*As Boko Haram-linked attack Sunday night leaves 40 farmers dead
*Terrorists were said to have rounded up dozens of farmers in Dumba, shot them dead
*The farmers were said to have “strayed off” safe limit set for farming and fishing
*Gov Zulum urges citizens to remain within government-designated “safe zones”
By Emmanuel Obisue
At least 40 farmers have tragically lost their lives in Borno State, Nigeria’s volatile northeast region, following a brutal attack believed to be carried out by jihadists late on Sunday.
According to reports from a government official on Monday, the assault is linked to extremists affiliated with Boko Haram and its breakaway faction loyal to the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State confirmed that the attack occurred in an area previously considered to be a farming hub.
The state government said the terrorists rounded up dozens of farmers in Dumba on the shores of Lake Chad and shot them dead late on Sunday.
Zulum, however, urged citizens to remain within government-designated “safe zones,” areas that the military has cleared of militants and explosive devices.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the state government has ordered soldiers battling rebel fighters in the region “to track and obliterate the insurgent elements” operating around Dumba and their enclaves in the wider Lake Chad area.
The farmers according to the state government “strayed off” the safe limit set by the armed forces for farming and fishing in the area that is a sanctuary for fighters from ISWAP and Boko Haram and is dotted with landmines and “prone to nocturnal attacks”.
Zulum assured the people of Borno that the armed forces would conduct a thorough investigation into the deadly assault. “I give my assurance that the military will take the necessary steps to ensure justice is served. Those responsible for this heinous act will be hunted down,” he vowed.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, has continued to ravage the northeast of Nigeria, with extremist groups opposing Western values and attempting to impose a harsh interpretation of Islamic law. The conflict, Africa’s longest-running insurgency, has killed tens of thousands of civilians and displaced millions, also spilling over into neighboring countries.
The infamous 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, helped to amplify global awareness of the ongoing crisis in the region.
