ABOUT 66 people, mostly rice farmers and fishermen were killed by suspected members of Boko Haram sect in Koshobe village near Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, reliable sources have said.
The attack also left scores of people injured from gunshot wounds. The incident happened on a day Borno was conducting its first local government election after more than a decade.
A security operative not authorized to talk to the press, confirmed the incident, saying the attack took place yesterday.
Koshobe, located north east, an a village under Mafa Local Government Area, mostly a Hausa and Saurian settlement who engage in farming and fishing is about 25kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.
Sources said, the attackers armed with Ak47 rifles surrounded the Koshobe River when victims were busy fishing on the banks of the river and opened fire, leaving 66 persons including women dead. Others sustained gunshot wounds.
“No fewer than 66 people have been killed this morning in Koshobe, a community under Mafa LGA after Dusuman. the victims were reported to have been slaughtered in a rice farm while other were fishing in the nearby river. So far, 43 bodies have been recovered and currently in Zabarmari town of Jere Local Government Area.
The attackers were more than 100 who came on motor bike numbering about 50,” one fleeing resident, Adamu Abdullahi said.
Another resident of Zabarmari, who gave his name as Haruna Isa said he saw some security vehicles including that of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) conveying the remains of the slain victims to an undisclosed hospital in Maiduguri yesterday evening.
“Yes, there was an attack by insurgents on some fishermen in Koshobe village yesterday, although, I don’t know the actual number of casualties, but I saw some security vehicles conveying remains of the victims to Maiduguri this evening,” Isa stated.
All effort to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations officer, DSP Edet Okon proved abortive as his phone could not be reached at press time. But the House of Representatives member, representing Jere Federal Constituency, Satomi Ahmed, confirmed the incident.
