At least 110 dead in Boko Haram attack in north-east Nigeria
01 December, 2020
At least 110 rice farmers and fishermen have been killed in a village in north-east Nigeria in a suspected Boko Haram attack.
The attack occurred in the village of Koshobe nearby the key city of Maiduguri, in the restive Borno region, on Saturday.
“At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack,” said Edward Kallon, the UN resident co-ordinator in Nigeria.
“The incident may be the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this season.
“I demand the perpetrators of the heinous and senseless action to be taken to justice.”
Mr Kallon said there were reports that women may have been kidnapped and needed their immediate go back to safety.
Workers in the village were tangled up and had their throats slit in the horrific strike after armed bandits drove in on motorcycles.
“My thoughts are as well with the rural communities on the area, who are shocked by the brutality of yesterday’s strike and fear for his or her safety,” Mr Kallon said.
“The complete UN system and the humanitarian community attempting to provide life-saving and development assist with the most vulnerable on Borno State is outraged by the incident.”
Babagana Umara Zulum, the Borno status governor, attended a burial on Sunday found in the near by village of Zabarmari of 43 bodies recovered on Saturday.
“The complete country has been wounded by these senseless killings,” Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari said.
Mr Buhari said the federal government had supported the Nigerian army “to have all necessary methods to safeguard the Nigeria’s people and its territory”.
The attacks occurred as the long-delayed Borno condition elections took place.
Consistent attacks by Boko Haram and rival group IS West Africa Province have delayed the voting.
Past Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode about Sunday called away Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau above the killings.
Mr Fani-Kayode tweeted: “Boko Haram and its leader Abubakar Shekau will be the greatest plague which has ever afflicted the Nigerian landscape.
"They must get crushed and wiped off the face of the earth.”
Extremists are actually increasingly attacking loggers, farmers and fishermen found in Borno, accusing them of spying for the army and pro-government militias.
The other day, Boko Haram attacked Mr Zulum’s convoy, killing seven soldiers and several civilians.
He escaped unharmed nonetheless it was the 3rd time he had been attacked by Boko Haram terrorists during the past three months.
In two attacks last month, Boko Haram killed 22 farmers working on irrigation areas near Maiduguri.
More than 30,000 people have already been killed in the extremist insurgency in Nigeria, mainly in the north-east, and about 3 million persons have already been displaced from their homes since 2009, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs says.
The terrorism has spread to neighbouring countries Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
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