Several others are still unaccounted for, as some residents remain missing.
At least 14 people have been killed and four others injured in a deadly attack by Boko Haram insurgents on three farming communities in the Goza area of Borno State on Saturday.
Several others are still unaccounted for, as some residents remain missing.
The terrorists stormed three villages – Pulka, Bokko, and Kirawa, according to Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Nigerian Senate.
The attack happened as efforts were underway to resettle displaced persons back into their communities after years of living in IDP camps due to the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency.
“According to the local government chairman, the victims had gone to their farms to cut wood and clear the land in preparation for farming when Boko Haram militants attacked them and killed 14 people. Their funerals have already been held,” Senator Ndume stated.
He added that the scale of the attack was yet to be determined, as military personnel arrived in the area shortly after the attack to assess the situation.
“So far, four people who sustained injuries have been taken to the hospital, and we are awaiting more detailed information,” he said.
“The attack happened just as life was beginning to return to normal, and the state government was working hard to help people return to their homes. That’s why the farmers went back to their land, only to be ambushed by Boko Haram,” he added
The senator further revealed that on Friday, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum had issued a warning about the growing threat in three key areas: the Timbuktu area of Lake Chad, the Mandara mountains, and Sambisa forest in Goza.
“I believe that if urgent action isn’t taken in these three areas, Boko Haram will continue to grow stronger, just like what happened in Chad with the late President Idriss Déby,” Ndume warned.
He added that countries like Chad, Niger, and Cameroon have intensified efforts to expel Boko Haram from their territories, which he believes has led the insurgents to refocus their operations in Nigeria — particularly in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
Ndume expressed concern that the militants are now not only attacking farmers but are also driving entire communities from their homes, similar to what reportedly happened in Sabongari, Wajir, and Dambuwa.
“What I keep stressing is that this crisis can be brought to an end — but only if we take it seriously and act decisively,” he concluded.
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