Brief – Despite Borno State governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s commitment to collaborate with the Nigerian Army and other security operatives to increase safer access to their lands, 11 more farmers have been gunned down by suspected insurgents.

One farmer survived but was seriously wounded in the attack on Kawuri village in the Konduga Local Government Area on Monday, July 31. He is being treated in Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

A resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI that nine farmers had been captured. The insurgents, thought to be members of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), better known as Boko Haram, had demanded a ransom for their return and stipulated that two members of the community should deliver the money.

Members of the community donated what they could to pay the ransom and sent three farmers to deliver the money to the JAS. When the insurgents saw that there were three people instead of two, they got enraged and opened fire on the farmers killing 11 and seriously wounding one. –

Falmata Mohammed Ali