At least 40 farmers have been killed in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state in an attack by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a group aligned with the broader Islamic State network. The incident took place late Sunday in the town of Dumba, located near Lake Chad, a region known to be a stronghold for both ISWAP and its rival Boko Haram.
According to Usman Tar, the information commissioner for Borno state, ISWAP militants rounded up scores of farmers, executing them as punishment for farming in areas controlled by the jihadist group. Many farmers, who had ventured into this dangerous territory for agricultural work, are still missing, and authorities are attempting to trace their whereabouts.
The attack underscores the ongoing volatility in the Lake Chad Basin, which has long been a hideout for militants, offering them a base from which to launch attacks across Nigeria and its neighbors. Despite military efforts to curtail insurgent activities, this area remains prone to nocturnal raids, with landmines and the threat of jihadist groups such as ISWAP and Boko Haram complicating the situation.
The victims, mostly farmers from Gwoza, had entered the region to cultivate cowpeas and onions, unaware of the territorial divisions between ISWAP and Boko Haram. As militants vie for control of the region, the two factions have increasingly targeted civilians. ISWAP’s violent crackdown on the farmers is believed to have been a form of punishment for farming in its territory without permission or payment of levies.
While the Nigerian government has pledged to take action by deploying troops to the area, some local militia leaders argue that the death toll could be far higher than the official estimate of 40, suggesting over 100 victims. This tragedy highlights the deepening crisis in the region, where thousands of civilians have died, and millions have been displaced since the onset of the insurgency in 2009.
