Boko Haram kills 34 farmers in Yobe village

By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu

Boko Haram has attacked villagers and killed farmers, burnt houses and shops in Mafa village of Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State on Sunday evening.
A source from the security agencies confirmed that the insurgents attacked the village around 4pm when residents were returning from their farms.
Another source from Babangida town, the headquarters of Tarmuwa LGA, yesterday confirmed the latest attack, saying the insurgents also set many houses ablaze.
He said that he left the town on Saturday, but the terrorists attacked the village on Sunday evening.
“My uncle was in the village when it happened, but due to network issues, we haven’t been able to speak with him. The situation is miserable.
“My brother informed me that over 40 to 50 people, mostly farmers, are feared to have been killed by the insurgents. We are awaiting the military to evacuate the victims’ remains for a mass burial, “ he said.
The Yobe State Police Command’s Public Relation Officer, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the attack, but noted that details were still unclear due to the network failure in the affected area.
“The insurgents arrived on over 50 motorcycles, setting shops and houses on fire and killing several people. They also left behind some fliers with Arabic inscriptions, “ he said.
Security personnel have evacuated the victims remains from the affected village to Babangida town for a mass burial of those who lost their lives in the attack.
Meanwhile, the funeral prayers for 34 deceased persons killed by insurgents in Mafa village, Tarmuwa local government area was done.
The Chief imam of Yobe Mosque and Islamic center, Ustas Hudu Mohammed Yusuf, led the prayer of the deceased persons.
The state Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, who was attending security meeting in Abuja, was represented by his Deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, at the funeral prayer which took place at the palace of Mai Jajere, in Babangida town.
The Mafa village is near Shekau village, the hometown of the late Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
Meanwhile, last month, two persons were killed and 475 households displaced in an attack by Boko Haram which reportedly affected over 2,390 people across four communities within the Mafa ward.
Furthermore, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for the attack that led to the killing of 34 villagers in Yobe State.
In a letter written in Arabic and released by the insurgents, the group claimed responsibility for the attack, and added that the village was attacked for allegedly providing information to the military, which led to the killing of its members.
“This is a message from the soldiers of the Caliphate in the West Africa Province to the leaders, Mukhtars, and the rest of the residents and farmers in the town of Mafa and the villages around it, ” the insurgents’ letter read in part.