At least 23 fishermen and farmers were killed and others abducted by suspected Islamist militants in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state this week, local residents and security sources told Reuters.
Nigeria has been dealing with a long-running insurgency in the northeast, led by the Islamist group Boko Haram and itst, the Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to the security sources and residents, the latest attack happened in the village of Malam Kranti on Thursday morning.
A spokesman for Nigeria’s army did not respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment.
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Local resident Sani Auwal said by phone that militants had gathered farmers and fishermen near the village and killed 23 people, many of them bean farmers. They spared an elderly man who later alerted the community, he added.
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According to another resident, Usaman Ali, the community had tried to recover the bodies of the dead but had been chased back by the militant.
Last month Borno’s governor acknowledged that Boko Haram had renewed attacks and kidnappings in the state, reversing previous gains by security forces.
