At least 15 farmers and firewood gatherers have been killed in northeastern Nigeria in an attack attributed to suspected Boko Haram militants, police confirmed Friday. Three other residents remain missing as security forces investigate the killings in Borno State.
The violence occurred late Wednesday and early Thursday around Ala, Gummna and Musune in the Marte local government area, approximately 80 miles northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital, according to the Associated Press.
Residents said the victims were attacked while farming or collecting wood for cooking and sale. Those killed included younger men and elderly villagers, underscoring the dangers facing rural communities carrying out routine work outside their settlements.
Local accounts described the victims being ambushed, tied up and shot at close range. Community members recovered 15 bodies and buried them Thursday according to Islamic rites, Nigerian newspaper The Guardian reported.
Borno police spokesperson Nahum Daso said information about the attack remained incomplete and that efforts were continuing to locate the missing residents. He said police would provide further details after gathering additional information.
Amnesty International condemned the killings and urged Nigerian authorities to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities. The organization said deliberately targeting civilians constituted a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
The attack adds to more than a decade of militant violence against civilians and security forces in northeastern Nigeria. For communities in Marte, the immediate priority remains finding the three missing residents while families mourn those killed.
