The Boko Haram fighters on Saturday has allegedly committed the gruesome murder of innocent farm workers in Borno.
The massacre occurred today in Zabarmari, less than 20 km from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
“There were 60 farmers who were contracted to harvest paddy in the rice fields. Forty-three were slaughtered, with six injured,†Liman said.
Eight others were missing, presumed to have been kidnapped by the jihadists.
The bodies were taken to Zabarmari village, two kilometres away, where they would be kept ahead of burial on Sunday, said resident Mala Bunu who took part in the search and rescue operation.
Last month Boko Haram militants slaughtered 22 farmers working on their irrigation fields near Maiduguri in two separate incidents.
Boko Haram and ISWAP, its IS-linked rival, have increasingly targeted loggers, herders and fishermen in their violent campaign, accusing them of spying and passing information to the military and the local militia fighting them.
At least 36,000 people have been killed in the jihadist conflict, which has displaced around two million since 2009.
The violence has also spread into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the militants.
The attack took place as voters went to the polls in local elections in Borno State.
The elections had been repeatedly postponed because of an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP.
