Borno state governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Sunday, said Saturday's attack in Zabarmari by Boko Haram Insurgents, is disheartening, and leaves the people in a very difficult situation.
Zulum while empathizing with the bereaved community during a funeral prayer for the slain farmers, said the farmers are in extreme conditions as they can neither go to farms, thereby subject themselves to hunger and starvation, nor go to farms and risked being killed.
He said, “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.”
“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.
“We are still appealing to the Federal Government to ensure recruitment of more our youths in the CJTF and hunters into the Nigerian military and the Civil Defence so that they can form part of the agro rangers that will protect farmers.
“We need many boots to protect farmlands and our youths understand the terrain. We will not lose hope because we have to remain optimistic about ending the insurgency,” Zulum said.
The slain farmers who live in Zabarmari, a farming community in Jere Local Government Area, famous for rice cultivation and local processing, were attacked on Saturday, at Koshebe village, a place in Mafa Local Government Area.