Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists done killed at least 50 farmers in Malam Karanti village, Kukawa local government area of Borno State. This incident happened after the rival Boko Haram fighters ambushed the farmers in the ISWAP controlled area, which is about 9 kilometre from Baga town, on Thursday. Local sources who confirmed the attack said the farmers and some fishermen had enjoyed the protection of ISWAP commander in charge of the location in exchange for levy. “They have papers of the commander in charge of Malam Karanti up to Dawashi. His name is Amir Akilu. They enjoyed his protection for months before the latest incident,” he said.
The terrorists took advantage of the commander’s absence to attack the farmers whom they accused of spying and siding with their enemies. One of the survivors of said the terrorists surrounded them and threatened to shoot anybody who attempted to escape. “In fact some of us had started harvesting beans when the assailants struck. They gathered us in one place and threatened to kill anyone who attempted to escape, but some of us chose to run rather than die miserably in their hands. They killed over 50 people; majority of them were slaughtered. They also abducted some. Today they were in Dawashi doing the same killing but there was no information on the number of people affected,” he said. Neither security agencies nor the government has commented on the tragic incident.
This attack is coming barely five months after the terrorists massacred at least 40 farmers at Dumba community in the same Baga area. The situation is dire and the residents are living in constant fear of further attacks. The lack of action from security agencies and the government is alarming and raises concerns about the safety and security of the people in the region. It is essential for immediate intervention to prevent more lives from being lost to these senseless acts of violence. The survivors are traumatized and in desperate need of support and protection from such brutal attacks. The community is mourning the loss of their loved ones and struggling to come to terms with the horrific events that have unfolded. It is a tragedy that should not be overlooked or forgotten, as the people of Borno State continue to face the threat of terrorism on a daily basis.
