Borno State governor visits Baga to commiserate with families of the victims, urging residents to farm only in safe zones and warning them to refrain from colluding with insurgents.

The death toll from an insurgent attack in the Kukawa district of Borno State has risen from 40 to more than 100, according to a resident.

Armed men – suspected of being members of either the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, or the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) – stormed the Garin Mata and Garin Yobe communities in Baga in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday, January 12.

On Monday, January 13, the Borno State government confirmed that 40 farmers had been killed in the attack.

It said the farmers had ventured beyond designated safe zones.

However, a resident of Baga town, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI that at least 117 people had been killed.

He said many people were still missing and were unaccounted for.

He said the actual locations of the attacks were Garin Mata and Garin Yobe, not Dumba as was reported.

“The insurgents divided the farmers into groups before opening fire on them. Many farmers tried to escape. Some drowned in the surrounding water.

“The attack was reportedly a result of a broken agreement between the farmers and the armed groups, in which farmers paid ‘security levies’ to the insurgents to gain access to their lands and for ‘protection’. But the insurgents recently accused some of the farmers of providing intelligence to the military. This led to the attack.”

The resident said a security team, including soldiers, local hunters and Civilian Joint Task Force members, visited Garin Mata on Tuesday, January 14, to recover the bodies of the dead. Many were decomposed.

“The team buried 37 bodies in Garin Mata. The security operatives were later attacked and forced to leave the area by heavily armed men who arrived in military trucks.”

The resident said most of the victims were visitors who were in Baga to explore fishing and farming opportunities.

Babagana Umara Zulum, the governor of Borno State, visited Baga on Wednesday, January 15, to commiserate with the families of the victims.

He expressed sympathy over the recent tragic event but emphasised the importance of abiding by military regulations to ensure the safety of the area.

He urged residents to refrain from any form of collaboration with insurgents.

“I urge the people of Baga and surrounding communities to conduct their farming activities only within areas approved by the military. While we encourage agricultural efforts, it is crucial that our people remain law-abiding and adhere to the rules set forth by both the Nigerian military and Borno State government.”

He condemned the actions of individuals colluding with insurgents, saying it was “unacceptable and a direct threat to the region’s stability”.

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI