Boko Haram steps up violence in Nigeria by slaughtering farmers

Nahla Abdelmonem

The terrorist Boko Haram group slaughtered 43 farmers in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on November 29.

Six other farmers were seriously injured when the ISIS-linked group attacked rice farms in the city.

After attacking the farms, Boko Haram terrorists led the farmers to the fields and then slaughtered them, Nigerian media said.

They accused them of reporting Boko Haram news to the Nigerian army.

The slaughtered farmers were among 60 farm workers who had travelled to the area to work in rice harvesting.

The fate of the remaining 11 farmers is still unknown, even as some people say they might have been taken hostage by the terrorist group. They expect Boko Haram to demand ransom soon before releasing them.

In October this year, Boko Haram slaughtered 22 farmers in the same city, Sky News said.

The group is stepping up its attacks against those working in raising cattle and those fishing in the area, it added.

Boko Haram accuses these people of giving information to the Nigerian army about its fighters, Sky News said.

Significance

The toll from the latest Boko Haram operation in Maiduguri shows that the city suffers deteriorating security conditions, observes said.

It also shows that the terrorist organization continues to use slaughtering as a mechanism in inflicting damage on civilians in Nigeria, they added.

Boko Haram attacks are causing a large number of Maiduguri residents to flee the city.

Attacks by the group on fishermen and farmers also give insights into its plan for controlling these sections of the Nigerian society, the observers said.