At least 40 farmers have lost their lives in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno state due to recent violence attributed to jihadists, according to a government official’s report on Monday.
The assault is believed to have been orchestrated by extremists linked to Boko Haram and its splinter faction that pledges allegiance to the Islamic State, according to the Borno state Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
He urged residents to remain within designated “safe zones” that have been cleared of both militants and explosives by the military.
Zulum also called for a thorough investigation into the incident by the armed forces.
“I assure the people of Borno that this issue will be investigated comprehensively for appropriate action. I urge the armed forces to pursue and confront those responsible for this brutal act against our innocent citizens,” he stated.
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s indigenous jihadist group, began its insurgency in 2009, opposing Western education and seeking to impose a radical interpretation of Islamic law.
This conflict has become the longest-running militant struggle in Africa, affecting neighbouring countries as well.
According to the U.N., approximately 35,000 civilians have been killed, and over 2 million have been displaced in the north-eastern region.
The 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno state—the heart of the conflict—brought global attention to the crisis.
