In a tragic incident, at least 110 farmers have been killed by armed motormen in Nigeria, said the United Nations after the initial figures showed 43 dead followed by data reflecting the murder of at least 70 people.
The massacre that has been described as “gruesome” and 2020’s most heinous crime took place against innocent civilians and farmers fielding their crops in multiple places, including the Koshobe village and other smaller localities in Jere local government region close to Maiduguri.
UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, disclosed the details of the Borno state capital’s incident through a statement on Sunday.
While at least 110 civilians innocently became victims in the horrible killings, several have been injured during the panic ride, Mr. Kallon said, adding that many women are also assumed to have been kidnapped by the perpetrators.
“The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year. I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice,” Mr. Kallon said.
No organization had taken the responsibility of the killings though suspicions are drawn towards the armed group, Boko Haram and another Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) as they have conducted an array of similar crimes in recent years.
The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari condemned the massacre of the farmers while assuring citizens of resolving the glitches in the security system of the country that are often leading to such terrible events.
“The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings,” the president’s spokesperson said.
However, experts have reiterated the frustration of people due to the lack of proper authorities to handle the situation and take steps to control future attacks.
Al Jazeera reported Security Analyst Sulaiman Aledeh saying in the matter, “If you’ve seen [what happened to] Niger, President Mahamadou Issoufou had to sack his security chiefs when 89 soldiers were killed. So Nigerians are asking why are you keeping these people.”
“The government is choosing loyalty over professionalism,” Mr. Sulaiman said while adding that in view of the growing incidences, the government ought to have had deployed efficient men to help regain peace in the state.
After attending the funerals of 43 civilians whose bodies were found on Saturday in Zabarmari village, Governor Babaganan Umara Zulum told reporters on Sunday that at least 70 farmers had died in the attack.
He urged the central government to recruit more soldiers, Civilian Joint Task Force members and civil defence fighters in order to ensure the safety of the farmers in the area.
Mr. Zulum spoke about the difficult situations persisting in the lives of the farmers as they are left with dire consequences through either of the choices they make.
“In one side, they stay at home they may be killed by hunger and starvation; on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents,” he said.
With the latest massacre, the government has come under the radar as angry citizens are repeatedly questioning the centre’s actions in failing to prevent the death of over 110 innocent farmers whose killers are still roaming the streets freely, without being identified as well.
