President Buhari reacts as Boko Haram slaughters over 40 farmers in Borno

Boko Haram members at a gathering

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday expressed grief over killing of 43 farmers working on a rice farms at Zabarmari, in Jere Local Government area of Borno State.

Some reports had indicated that the insurgents tied up the farmers and slit their throats.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu late Saturday, the President condemned the killings while pledging that his government has given the necessary support to the military to protect the country’s population and territory.

”I condemn the killing of our hardworking farmers by terrorists in Borno State. The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings.

A member of civilian-JTF had told Babakura Kolo of AFP on Saturday that the group has recovered 43 bodies, all of them slaughtered, with six others injured.

“It is no doubt the handiwork of Boko Haram who operate in the area and frequently attack farmers,” he said.

In the same vein, a village leader, a local fighter with the Zamarmari group and a police source, also reported the attack, putting the death toll to at least 40 people.

“It was a sad incident that took place at about 11 a.m today. The farmers were attacked at the Garin-Kwashebe rice field, and according to reports reaching us since afternoon, about 40 of them were killed,” Premium Times quoted Hassan Zabarmari, a former chairman of a rice farmers association in Borno State as saying while confirming the incident.

Also, a member of House Representatives, Ahmed Satomi, who represents Jere federal constituency also confirmed the incident in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

“It was a very sad development that happened today at Zabarmari rice field general area,” he said.

“Farmers and fishermen were killed in cold blood. We have so far received 44 corpses from the farms and we are preparing for their burials tomorrow by God’s grace.”

According to him, the farmers were attacked because they had on Friday arrested a member of Boko Haram.