By Abba Gwale
As 43 farmers slain by Boko Haram in Zabarmari village were buried this morning, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum was told to expect the death toll to rise, as more farmers are still missing following the tragedy.
Residents told the visibly shaken Governor that the 43 were the only bodies retrieved so far from the scene of the massacre and as such the death toll could rise any moment from now.
Zulum was at Zabarmari village to lead kinsmen and other residents for the funeral of 43 farmers slaughtered by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Zabarmari is a farming community in Jere local government area, famous for rice cultivation and local processing, they were attacked on Saturday, at Koshebe village, a place in Mafa Local Government Area.
The governor commiserated with the community over the carnage and said the inhuman action by the insurgents affects all of them. He added that he has been discussing with the military since yesterday and, God willing, the remaining people will be traced soon.
While speaking to journalists, Zulum said, “It is disheartening that more than 40 citizens were slaughtered while they were working on their farmlands. Our people are in very difficult situations, they are in two different extreme conditions, on one side if 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. We are still appealing to the Federal Government to ensure recruitment of more of 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”
President Muhammadu Buhari through his Senior Special Assistant Media & Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu has expressed his grief over the killing describing the terrorist killings as insane.
