Boko Haram fighters gun down Farmers in Borno

In Borno State, suspected Boko Haram insurgents brutally attacked and killed 15 farmers while kidnapping three others in Marte Local Government Area. The brutal ambush occurred across the Ala, Gumna, and Musune wards near the local government headquarters on a Wednesday. Initial reports surfaced the same evening, but recovering the bodies was delayed until the following morning.

Local sources reported the initial discovery of five bodies followed by more later that day, while three individuals remain missing, believed to have been abducted by the insurgents.

DSP Kenneth Nahum Daso, the Public Relations Officer for Borno State Police Command, confirmed the grim toll of 15 fatalities and pledged to investigate the incident. An aggrieved relative shared harrowing details of the execution-style killings. The victims had ventured into their fields to harvest crops when they were suddenly attacked.

"They were forced to lie down and were shot in the head at close range," the relative recounted, describing it as a "gory sight." Local residents quickly responded, gathering the bodies and arranging for proper Islamic burials.

The atrocity has sparked widespread condemnation, with Amnesty International releasing a statement on Friday condemning the violence as a "horrific violation of international humanitarian law." The human rights organization expressed deep concern over the escalating targeting of civilians by non-state armed groups, specifically noting that the deliberate attack against farmers constitutes a war crime.

Amnesty International urged Nigerian authorities to take immediate, transparent, and rights-compliant action to protect vulnerable communities in the region. Despite ongoing military operations, farming communities in Northeast Nigeria continue to face grave security threats, with insurgents frequently targeting agricultural workers in remote areas.