Boko Haram terrorists have slaughtered 18 fishermen and several others missing after attack in Mobbar local government area in Northern part of Borno State, near the border with Niger Republic, sources said.
The sources said the attack was carried out 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 of the state.
Local sources said dozens of the terrorists stormed the area on motorcycles and targeted the fishermen while they were working along the river.
A fisherman, Abu Mohammed, who spoke to our correspondent, noted that the Boko Haram terrorists accused the fishermen of leaking sensitive information on their movements to their rivals.
“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 of West Africa Province ( ISWAP ) faction,” Mohammed said.
It was gathered that ISWAP arch 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 recent months, both ISWAP and Boko Haram factions have intensified rampaging campaigns on civilians and military targets in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, respectively.
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