At least 28 villagers were killed in the village of Marte in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno late last week. The attack has been blamed on suspected Boko Haram militants.
The bodies of 15 people were initially found and buried on Thursday. Over the weekend, search teams found 13 more bodies in the surrounding bush. All of them had gunshot wounds.
“Our search teams found 13 more bodies in the surrounding bush on Saturday, all with gunshot wounds“, Babakura Kolo, the head of an anti-jihadist armed group, told AFP.“This is in addition to the 15 bodies found on Thursday, bringing the death toll in the attack to 28,“, Kolo added.
The victims were collecting firewood
According to a resident of Marte, quoted by AFP, people had left the village to collect firewood. Many displaced families in the state depend on it for cooking and other basic household needs.
These activities are carried out at serious security risks. Jihadist groups have increasingly targeted farmers, fishermen, loggers, herders and scrap metal collectors, accusing them of spying for the army and passing on information.
In April, at least 17 people were killed near Gwoza, an important military hub in Borno state, while they were also collecting firewood. Six loggers were also shot dead in the village of Malam Maja, in the Dikwa region.
The conflict has lasted for more than 17 years
Borno state is the epicenter of the jihadist insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, which has lasted for more than 17 years. It involves “Boko Haram“, as well as the group's splinter group “Islamic State in West Africa“.
The conflict has led to the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of millions of residents in the northeast of the country. While the Nigerian government points to successes in operations against the armed groups, some experts estimate that the violence is increasing.
Security and the economy are expected to be among the main topics of the upcoming presidential elections in Nigeria in January.
Sources: BTA