Boko Haram terrorists have slaughtered 18 fishermen and scores of others are missing in Mobbar local government area in Northern Borno, near the border with Niger Republic, sources have said.
This follows an attack by the Boko Haram terrorists on Sunday around 2:30 pm in the Fadana-Garuwa River, located in the Duji Ward of the Mobbar local government area in the Northern part of the state.
According to a local source, dozens of terrorists stormed the area on motorcycles and targeted the fishermen while they were working along the river.
Abu Mohammed, a fisherman who spoke to our Correspondent, noted that they accused the fishermen of leaking sensitive information on their movements to their rivals.
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“They came in large numbers and overpowered us; they gathered our people and slaughtered all of them as punishment for conniving with the Islamic State West Africa Province faction,” Mohammed said over the phone.
“This was meant to serve as a warning to others.”
It was gathered that its arc rival Boko Haram faction, believed to be in-charge of the riverine area in Niger Republic carried out the attack in retaliation.
“The bodies of the 18 victims were recovered but many people are still missing; the villagers conducted burial rites on Tuesday in accordance with Islamic rites,” Mustapha Babagana said.
The fishermen were granted access to fishing in the river by ISWAP terrorists, to whom they paid a form of tax.
In the recent months both ISWAP and Boko Haram factions have intensify rampaging campaigns on civilians and military targets in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states respectively.
