At least 40 farmers were reportedly killed in the Dumba community of Borno State's Kukawa Local Government Area, with the whereabouts of several others unknown, following an attack by terrorists believed to be members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province. It was reported that the incident, which occurred about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, left dozens of farmers missing, maybe seized by militants. Prof Usman Tar, Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, acknowledged the incident in a statement issued Monday.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack has begun. Initial reports indicate that approximately 40 farmers were killed, while the whereabouts of many who fled the attack are being tracked down in order to reunite them with their families," Tar stated.
This comes just 24 hours after a similar attack on the Chibok town in the state's south claimed the lives of two people and set fire to a church. He claimed Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the attack in "strong terms," even as he urged the military to track down and clear insurgents operating in Dumba and other similar enclaves around Lake Chad. According to sources, the victims were attacked by terrorists after crossing the military-marked security track around the communities to prevent people from entering Boko Haram or ISWAP areas. Boko Haram has carried out three devastating attacks in the Kukawa area since 2014, when terrorist attacks in Borno State increased.
Boko Haram sacked Baga, the seat of Kukawa Local Government and one of Borno's commercial hubs, in December 2019 after a two-day violent attack. Nearly a dozen military personnel were captured and then executed in a horrible manner. Thousands of people evacuated their houses, marking the town's third large-scale displacement since 2014. In the statement, Zulum decried the tragic attack on farmers and fishermen in Dumba. He expressed his grief over the incident and asked the troops to find the killers. Tar stated that initial reports suggested that the attackers killed approximately 40 people, and that several others fled to nearby areas while efforts were underway to locate survivors and reconnect them with their families.
He stated that the governor directed the armed forces to hunt and neutralise the criminals operating in Dumba and other enclaves in Lake Chad. He reassured the public that the state government was dedicated to upholding justice and improving security. "With terrible grief and agony, I learnt about the terrorist attack on Dumba, in which scores of our farmers and fisherman were slain. "On behalf of the government, I sympathise with the victims' families. Let me assure Borno residents that this incident will be thoroughly investigated in order to take appropriate action," he stated. According to him, the governor emphasised that the victims had wandered over the security boundaries imposed by the government and military into regions