Escalation in attacks: Villagers flee for safety from Shettimari in Marte, and in Damboa – where four farmers have been killed – residents say they live in terror and need better security.

Farmers in Shettimari village in Benisheikh, the headquarters of the Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, have fled from their homes in terror after two farmers were murdered by insurgents on Monday, May 20.

In the Damboa Local Government Area, insurgents killed four farmers in two separate incidents; two died on Saturday, May 18, and two more were found murdered on Sunday, May 19.

In New Marte, in the Marte Local Government Area, a senior police officer who was responding to an attempted kidnapping was murdered on Sunday.

Soon after Pius Sunday, a divisional police officer, was killed, a night curfew was imposed on the town.

Assistant Superintendent Nahum Daso, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, said in a statement released on Wednesday that Sunday was killed while on duty.

A man ran into the police station in New Marte, saying six men, believed to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), had attempted to abduct him.

Sunday mobilised a team but was ambushed by the insurgents. He was fatally wounded and Inspector Sani Murtala was brushed by a bullet on his thigh. Murtala is receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

It was not disclosed when the curfew would be lifted.

Villagers in Shettimari, which is close to Benisheikh town in the Kaga district of Borno State, fled in terror after the two farmers were killed on Monday.

The farmers were clearing and preparing their lands when the attack took place.

Bor Modu (not his real name) told RNI that the insurgents killed the farmers “to instil fear among residents of the rural community”.

He said the insurgents knew the rainy season was on the way and they wanted to frighten farmers to prevent them from going to their lands.

“After the two farmers were killed, armed men in military uniform came to Shettimari village and burnt down some of our houses. They told all of us to leave the village.

“I was one of many people who fled. We were extremely frightened. We are certain that if we had stayed, we would also be dead. Every time we go to our lands it feels as if we are staring death in the face.”

Mallum Talba (not his real name), also a resident of Shettimari, told RNI almost all the people in the village were farmers and they depended on the land to make a living.

“Shettimari village is an agrarian community. Just about everyone is a farmer. But the escalation of farmer murders is frightening. Most villagers fled after the killings on Monday. We just can’t take the chance of staying.

“The Borno State government must provide adequate security so that we can farm without fear. It is impossible to work our lands with the thought of death on our minds constantly. We don’t want to go back to Shettimari until it is safe. Even extreme hunger is not enough to make us return. We need assurance that we will be safe.”

Farmers in Damboa have expressed security concerns following the killing of four farmers, two were murdered on Saturday and on Sunday another two were found dead.

The farmers were clearing their lands when the attacks took place.

Kolo Mallum, a farmer from Damboa, told RNI said he and other farmers had brought the corpses of the two farmers killed on Saturday home.

“Boko Haram [Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād – JAS] insurgents killed them in a forest about 10km from Damboa town. The farmers were shot dead. The insurgents stripped their clothes and stole money and farm tools.

“The men were in the bush clearing and preparing their lands for this year’s seasonal farming when they were ambushed by insurgents on Saturday at about 12 noon.

“As soon as we heard about the attack we rushed to the forest and found their bodies.

“We discovered the corpses of two more slain farmers on Sunday at about 2pm. We are uncertain about when they were attacked because their bodies had already started decomposing.

“We decided to bury them in the forest because of the state of the corpses.

“The slain farmers were my friends and colleagues. Sadly they left widows and children. May Allah forgive them their shortcomings and grant them paradise.”

Ba Kaumi, a resident and farmer in Damboa, said residents were feeling agitated by the four farmer murders.

“As most residents are farmers, we are concerned about our safety and security. The murders have made us extremely uneasy about going to our lands. We have been clearing and preparing the ground. But each time we go to our lands we are terrified it will be the last. The escalation in attacks on farmers is frightening.

“The rainy season is fast approaching and we need to be on our farms. But farmers are easy targets. Our lands are in outlying areas in the bushes and forests. It is a difficult situation. If we don’t farm, we will die of starvation at home. So we take our lives in our hands and go to our farmlands – and we pray to Allah to keep us safe.”

Lugudu Alhaji, a member of the civilian joint task force in Damboa town, confirmed the murders of the four farmers. He did not know if the insurgents were members of ISWAP or JAS.

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO