At least 23 farmers and fishermen have been killed and 18 others abducted by suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Malam Karanti, a village near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attack occurred on Thursday morning when the terrorists rounded up farmers working on bean fields and executed them.
A resident, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, told Insight Northeast that the assailants spared one elderly man who later alerted the community.
“They assembled the victims and slaughtered them. Most of them were bean farmers who had returned to farm despite the risks,” the source said.
Attempts by locals and security agencies to recover the bodies were thwarted when the terrorists launched a second attack, forcing the rescuers to retreat.
“We mobilised with security operatives to recover the corpses, but ISWAP returned and attacked again. Many families are still searching for their loved ones,” the resident added.
Malam Karanti is located approximately five kilometres from Baga town and is known to be within an ISWAP-dominated axis, though civilians often risk farming and fishing in the area.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has assured residents of intensified military operations to flush out terrorists from their hideouts.
Speaking during a visit to Borno on Thursday, Gen. Musa disclosed that the military was in talks with strategic partners including Russia and France to deploy advanced weaponry in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
He said efforts to recharge the Lake Chad Basin were also being prioritised to allow troops access to ISWAP enclaves, which rely on fishing and farming to sustain logistics.
On Friday, Gen. Musa also briefed State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu and other defence chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Mr President has approved additional air assets and equipment to strengthen our operational capacity,” Musa said.
He further stressed the importance of non-kinetic approaches to counterterrorism, noting that the President is engaging governors to ensure that democratic dividends reach communities vulnerable to terrorist recruitment.
“Collaboration with neighbouring countries is also ongoing to address the porous borders, which terrorists exploit to infiltrate and regroup,” he added.
