By Williams Anuku, Abuja
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State on Sunday led others to bury 43 rice farmers slaughtered in Zabarmari by Boko Haram insurgents on Saturday.
The rice farmers who were working in the farm were believed to have been ambushed by the terrorists and opened fire on them, leading to the heavy casualties.
The Governor described the killing of the farmers by terrorists as disheartening noting that the people are in two extreme conditions.
“It is disheartening that more than 40 people were slaughtered while they were working on their farmlands. Our people are in very difficult situations; they are in two different extreme conditions. In one side they stay at home, they may be killed by hunger and starvation. On the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents,” Zulum said, addressing journalists.
“This is very sad. We are still appealing to the Federal Government to ensure recruitment of more of our youths in the CJTF and hunters into the Nigerian military and the Civil Defence so that they can form part of the agro rangers that will protect farmers.”
The governor added that the residents of the state would not lose hope as they have to “remain optimistic about ending the insurgency”.
Zabarmari is known to be within the sphere of influence of Boko Haram’s parent group, the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS). However, it’s splinter Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction has also conducted an attack in the town.