Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum joined hundreds of Zabarmari villagers in the funeral prayers and burial of the 43 slaughtered on their farms by Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday.
The Governor lamented that hunger and Boko Haram were ravaging his people.
Most of the victims who were killed at Koshebe village in Mafa local government are originally from Zabarmari, a farming community in Jere local government area, which is also renowned for massive rice cultivation and local processing.
Some village sources informed the Governor the casualty figures could not be ascertained as at the time he visited.
“Your Excellency, as you have seen here, 43 corpses were buried but others have not been retrieved from the scene of the incident.
“Nobody can tell you the exact number of people killed. Some of the victims are still missing,” a villager informed.
While addressing the community, Zulum expressed his deepest condolence and sympathies.
He wondered why people with conscience will hack fellow humans to death in such a manner.
“First of all, accept my deepest sympathy over this carnage, once again, that affects all of us and every human with conscience.
“I am told some persons are still missing. We have been discussing with the military since yesterday, Insha Allah the remaining people will be traced soon,” Zulum said.
The Governor regretted Borno residents are faced with the dilemma of survival from hunger and Boko Haram, describing the situation as “sad”
“It is disheartening that more than 40 citizens were slaughtered while they were working in their farmlands.
“Our people are in very difficult situations, they are in two different extreme conditions, in one side they stay at home they may be killed by hunger and starvation, on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents. This is very sad,” he lamented.
The Governor called on the Army to recruit more of Borno youths in Civilian JTF into the Nigeria Army, Civil Defense amongst others to serve as agro rangers to protect the people.
He noted that Borno people must remain optimistic even in the face of the insecurity hoping for an end.
