KANO, Nigeria: Boko Haram militants have killed at least 16 farmers and left dozens missing in the latest attacks in restive northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, militia and residents said on Wednesday.
The civilian militia fighting the Islamists found 15 bodies in fields around Kazaa and Daraa villages, five kilometers (three miles) outside the garrison town of Monguno on Tuesday.
A farmer was also shot dead while working near Gremari village, 13 km from the state capital Maiduguri.
“Yesterday our members recovered 15 bodies from farms around neighboring Kazaa and Daraa villages who were killed by Boko Haram on Monday,” militia leader Ibrahim Liman told AFP.
“Another 35 people have not been seen and a search will continue today (Wednesday) to find them,” he said.
The farmers were mostly from camps in Monguno housing people displaced by the nine-year Islamist insurgency.
Monguno resident Mari Bulama said the jihadists opened fire on farmers at work, shooting them as they fled.
“We buried 15 of them yesterday before I left Monguno,” said Bulama who arrived at Maiduguri on Tuesday from Monguno, 140 km away.
The IS-affiliated faction — Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — operates a camp near the town of Zulum, 20 km from Monguno, and residents said they believed the attack was launched from there.
On Tuesday two militants on a motorcycle opened fire on farmers outside Gremari village killing one, militiaman Umar Ari told AFP.
“The rest of the farmers fled and later returned to pick the dead body of their colleague,” he added.
Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on farmers and loggers in recent years, accusing them of passing information on the group to the military.
Last month the militants hacked 12 farmers to death as they worked on their fields in Kalle, a remote village 17 km from Maiduguri.
Despite government insistence Boko Haram are near defeat, the group has recently carried out major attacks on military and civilian targets, killing scores.
More than 27,000 people have died since the start of the insurgency in the remote northeast in 2009 and 1.8 million are still homeless.
Dozens missing after Boko Haram kills 16 in Nigeria: militia
Dozens missing after Boko Haram kills 16 in Nigeria: militia
- The group has recently carried out major attacks on military and civilian targets, killing scores
- More than 27,000 people have died since the start of the insurgency in the remote northeast in 2009 and 1.8 million are still homeless
Spain swine fever spreads outside containment zone
- African swine fever is a viral disease that is harmless to humans but nearly always fatal for pigs and wild boars
BARCELONA: African swine fever has been detected outside a containment zone in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region for the first time since its outbreak in November, officials said on Friday.
African swine fever is a viral disease that is harmless to humans but nearly always fatal for pigs and wild boars.
Although it has not spread to domestic pig farms, the outbreak has disrupted exports from Spain, the world’s third-largest producer of pork and its derivatives.
Thirteen new cases in wild boars have been reported, including two in areas outside the six-kilometer containment zone near Barcelona, Catalonia’s agriculture department said.
Authorities then expanded the high-risk zone to the affected municipalities and restricted access to the surrounding woods to prevent further spread.
The outbreak was Spain’s first reported case since 1994, and more than 100 cases have now been detected in wild boars.
“More than ever, it is essential not to lower our guard against a disease that remains present,” said Oscar Ordeig, regional agriculture minister.
The origin of the outbreak remains unknown, and a judicial investigation is ongoing.
