At least 50 farmers have been gruesomely killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Malam Karanti village, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, according to local reports.
The brutal attack took place on Thursday, just nine kilometres from Baga town, in an area known to be under ISWAP control.
“They have papers of the commander. They enjoyed his protection for months before this incident,” a resident said.
Daily Trust reported that the massacre occurred after rival Boko Haram fighters allegedly ambushed the farmers in territory overseen by ISWAP.
The farmers had previously enjoyed relative safety under the protection of a local ISWAP commander known as Amir Akilu, who was said to be in charge of Malam Karanti up to Dawashi. In exchange for security, the farmers and fishermen reportedly paid regular levies to the terrorist group.
A local source revealed that the ISWAP fighters exploited the temporary absence of Commander Akilu to launch the attack, accusing the farmers of spying for enemy factions.
One survivor recounted the harrowing experience, stating that the terrorists encircled the farmers and threatened to kill anyone who tried to escape.
“Some of us had already started harvesting beans when they struck. They gathered us and made it clear they would shoot anyone who ran. Many were slaughtered; I saw it. I chose to run rather than wait to die,” he said, visibly shaken.
“They killed over 50 people; majority of them were slaughtered. They also abducted some. Today they were in Dawashi doing the same killing but there was no information on the number of people affected,” he said.
He added that ISWAP fighters also abducted several individuals during the attack. “Today, they were in Dawashi doing the same thing, but we don’t yet know how many were affected.”
The massacre is the second of its kind in the region in recent months. In December 2024, terrorists killed at least 40 farmers in Dumba community, also in the Baga axis, highlighting the ongoing insecurity and humanitarian crisis in northern Borno.
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