By Ado Oyeyemi
At least 15 farmers and firewood gatherers have been killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, with three others still missing.
The victims were reportedly ambushed while carrying out their activities around Ala and Musune wards of the local government area on Wednesday evening.
The attack was confirmed by the Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, who said 15 people had been killed while efforts were ongoing to locate those still missing.
“Yes, there was an attack in Marte. Fifteen people were killed while others are still missing. Efforts are ongoing to determine their whereabouts,” Daso said.
According to local sources, 18 people had gone to the farms, but only 15 bodies were recovered and buried on Thursday, while three others could not be found.
The victims were said to include peasant farmers and people who went into the bush to gather firewood for their livelihoods and household needs.
A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the victims were ambushed, restrained and killed by the attackers.
The source also claimed that some of the victims were decapitated.
Another source said community members recovered the bodies from the scene and buried them according to Islamic rites.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International condemned the killings and described the incident as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The organisation said the victims were local residents who had ventured into surrounding bush areas to gather firewood either to earn a living or provide fuel for cooking at home.
It called on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate measures to protect vulnerable communities in the region.
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The police said details of the attack remained sketchy, adding that further information would be made available after data gathering and efforts to locate the missing persons were completed.
