Security operatives are still searching for more corpses and the many missing farmers after gruesome attack outside Molai town
Ten farmers in Molai town, about 10km from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, were found beheaded by unknown armed men on Thursday, June 15.
The residents of the Molai community told RNI that many farmers were also missing.
The gruesome attack, in which the armed men, suspected to have been insurgents, used cutlasses and knives to behead the farmers, took place at about 12 noon on Thursday.
Ali Gana Bukar, the secretary of local hunters in the Molai community, said that as soon as they received information about the attack from the military, local hunters, members of the civilian joint task force (CJTF) and other security operatives, they immediately rushed to the scene, where they discovered the corpses of seven slain farmers lying next to 14 bicycles and four wheelbarrows belonging to the victims. On Friday they discovered three more corpses.
“The attack happened at 12pm in broad daylight. We got intel about it at 12.20pm. We immediately grabbed our weapons and drove to the scene in four vehicles. The armed men, thought to be insurgents, had already left. Residents told us that there were many farmers who were missing. We continued to search the area, looking for more dead bodies and the missing farmers. We are still searching and will continue to do so.”
He said that there had been insecurity issues in Jimini, Bale, Molai Shuwari, Ali Dawaloli and Wadiya villages recently but that this attack occurred in the forest in Bula Bulin Bor Gawuye, a village close to Molai town.
“We, in collaboration with the Agro-rangers, used to escort farmers to the forest for many years. The Agro-rangers are security operatives responsible for monitoring and protecting farmers in their farmlands. About 70% of the Agro-rangers comprise local hunters and CJTF members.
“We were shocked and horrified when we got to the scene. We have not seen such a gruesome and horrifying attack for at least two years,” Bukar said.
He urged the Molai community to support security operatives by adhering to all the established security protocols and rules. He said he had told residents and farmers that they should refrain from going to their farmlands alone and should always obtain permit cards from the military before going into the forest.
Molai residents described the attack as shocking and terrifying. They called on the Borno State government to take all necessary security measures to ensure the protection of their lives and property.
They said farmers, in particular, needed to be kept safe as this year’s seasonal farming activities had just begun.
Wakil Alhaji Bako, a farmer, told RNI that on Thursday, June 15, the community had buried the corpses of seven farmers. On Friday, three more corpses were found and they were also buried.
“Security operatives are still searching for more corpses and also the many farmers who are missing. We can only hope that the missing farmers have not been killed and that they will be found unharmed. But we are scared. We don’t want to go back to our farmlands in case we are killed too.”
Bako said everyone in the community was in a state of shock. They were frightened and feared more attacks.
“We are pleading with the government to provide an adequate number of security operatives to safeguard our lives and our farmlands, so that we can continue to farm without fearing we will be the next ones attacked and killed.”
Bulama Ali Yunus, also a farmer, said the gruesome attack on their fellow farmers had frightened the community.
“We are terrified. We are too scared to return to our farmlands. Unless proper security measures are put in place, we will continue to fear going back to our lands. We are praying to Almighty Allah to bring an end to the insecurity facing farmers and others in the Molai community.”
SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO
