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WORLD NEWS Monday 30 noveMber 2020

Suspected extremists kill at least 40 farmers in Nigeria

By HARUNA UMAR Associ- least 40 and up to 60 peo- maker said.
ated Press ple could have been killed. Boko Haram and a break-
MAIDGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muham- away faction, the Islamic
Suspected members of the madu Buhari expressed State West Africa Province,
Islamic militant group Boko grief over the killings. are both active in the re-
Haram killed at least 40 rice "I condemn the killing of gion. Boko Haram's more
farmers and fishermen in our hardworking farmers than decade-long insur-
Nigeria as they were har- by terrorists in Borno State. gency has left thousands
vesting crops in the coun- The entire country is hurt dead and displaced tens
try's northern state of Bor- by these senseless killings. of thousands. Officials say
no, officials said. One said My thoughts are with their Boko Haram members of-
the death toll could rise to families in this time of grief," ten force villagers to pay
about 60 people. he said. illegal taxes by taking their
The attack Saturday in a Buhari said the government livestock or crops but some
rice field in Garin Kwashebe had given the armed forc- villagers have begun to re-
came on the same day es everything needed "to sist the extortion. People attend a funeral for those killed by suspected Boko
that residents were casting take all necessary steps to Satomi said the farmers in Haram militants in Zaabarmar, Nigeria, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020.
votes for the first time in 13 protect the country's popu- Garin Kwashebe were at- Associated Press.
years to elect local coun- lation and its territory." tacked because they had
cils, although many didn't A member of the House of disarmed and arrested a into the toilet to snatch his rice farms before leaving,
go to cast their ballots. Representatives, Ahmed Boko Haram gunman on rifle and tied him up," he he said. q
The farmers were report- Satomi, who represents the Friday who had been tor- said.
edly rounded up and sum- Jere Federal constituency menting them. "They later handed him
marily killed by armed insur- of Borno, said at least 44 "A lone gunman, who was over to the security. But
gents in retaliation for refus- burials were taking place a member of Boko Haram sadly, the security forces
ing to pay extortion to one Sunday. came to harass the farm- did not protect the coura-
militant. "Farmers and fishermen ers by ordering them to geous farmers. And in re-
Malam Zabarmari, a leader were killed in cold blood. give him money and also prisal for daring them, the
of a rice farmers associa- Over 60 farmers were af- cook for him. While he was Boko Haram mobilized and
tion in Borno state, con- fected, but we only have waiting for the food to be came to attack them on
firmed the massacre to The so far received 44 corpses cooked, the farmers seized their farms."
Associated Press, saying at from the farms," the law- the moment he stepped Insurgents also torched the