By Admin
President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned the unfortunate killing of 43 farm workers in Borno State by Boko Haram.
The unfortunate incident took place on Saturday, 28 of November in rice fields located in the village of Koshobe.
It was reported that the Boko Haram militants tied up the farm workers and slit their throats.
According to a member of the local Joint Task Force, Ibrahim Liman said the killed farm workers were to be predominantly labourers from Sokoto state who had travelled to Maiduguri to find work.
While reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Sheu, The president condemned the killing, even as he urged the armed forces to rise up to the task of protecting the citizenry.
Shehu made this known in a couple of tweets posted on his verified handle on the microblogging site, Twitter.
‘‘President @MBuhari has expressed grief over the killing of farmers on rice fields at Zabarmari, in Jere Local Government of Borno State, describing the terrorist killings as insane”
‘‘I condemn the killing of our hardworking farmers by terrorists in Borno State. The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings. My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls Rest In Peace”
‘‘President Buhari said the government had given all the needed support to the armed forces “to take all necessary steps to protect the country’s population and its territory,’’ the statement read.
Meanwhile, an additional eight farm workers are reportedly missing. They are assumed to have been abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Another source, Babakura Kolo, who assisted the survivors, attributed the killings to Boko Haram.
“It is no doubt the handiwork of Boko Haram who operate in the area and frequently attack farmers. We have recovered 43 dead bodies, all of them slaughtered, along with six others with serious injuries.’’
A resident of the area, Mala Bunu disclosed that the casualties were taken to Zabarmari village where they would be kept ahead of burial on Sunday.
Saturday’s attack is one of the worst by Boko Haram in the North East since the insurgency began in 2009.
Also In October, Boko Haram fighters allegedly slaughtered 22 farmers working on their irrigation fields near Maiduguri in two separate attacks.