Boko Haram terrorists have killed at least in 72 persons in Rann, Kala-Balge local government of Borno State and Jibia, Katsina State.
Those killed by the insurgents in Borno on Sunday were over 60 farmers and scavengers, while 12 were killed at Gakurdi village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, yesterday.
The Borno killings came as local hunters ambushed a hideout of terrorists in Wanori village of Konduga Local Government Area, also of Borno State, killing two of the terrorists, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Kala Balge is a border town with Cameroon, with poor telecommunications network, which delayed information on the latest massacre of farmers.
According to accounts the insurgents sneaked into the farms and started killing farmers one after the other.
“Over 50 people were buried in Rann on Monday. As at this morning (Tuesday), more dead bodies had been found, the death toll is over 60 now,” said a farmer, Ali Isa, who escaped unhurt.
It would be recalled that Boko Haram had increasingly targeted farmers, herders and loggers, accusing them of spying and passing information to the military.
They have also been raiding herding communities, stealing cattle, a valuable commodity in the region, to fund their operations.
In 2020, the insurgents invaded a rice plantation in Zabarmari, a community in Jere Local Government Area, killing at least 43 farmers.
When contacted by Vanguard for confirmation, the Police Commissioner, Abdu Umar, said he was yet to get details on the incident, even as he promised to furnish the media after getting in touch with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Kala Balge.
But a member House of Representatives, representing Kala Balge, Bama and Ngala federal constituency, Zainab Gimba, confirmed the incident to BBC Hausa Service which was monitored by our correspondent in Maiduguri.