UPDATE: How Boko Haram Evacuates Corpses of Farmers Killed in ISWAP Attack in Kukawa, grant permission to locals to evacuate corpses
By Zagazola Makama
Suspected fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) launched a deadly attack on Sunday, killing scores of the farmers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
However, rival Boko Haram (Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad, JAS) elements from the Buduma Faction later intervened, helping to evacuate injured victims and retrieve the bodies of those killed.
The attack occurred on Sunday evening in Tudun LEDA near Kwata Yobe and Tudun Kanta, where farmers were engaged in dry season irrigation along the Lake Chad River Basin Authority (LCRBA).
Zagazola Makama had previously reported how the farmers negotiated with a faction of ISWAP, paying levies to secure access to farmland. The arrangement was intended to allow them to cultivate their crops without interference.
However, another ISWAP group, reportedly approached stealthily on foot and opened sporadic gunfire, killing dozens of farmers on the spot.
Zagazola was informed that JAS elements stationed at Ladi Dumba reportedly overheard the gunfire and mobilized using water vessels to the scene. Upon their arrival, ISWAP fighters fled the area to avoid a confrontation.
Boko Haram operatives assisted in moving the injured to Mangari village, from where they were transported to Baga for medical treatment. JAS also granted permission for locals to enter Tudun Kwata Yobe and Tudun Kanta to retrieve the corpses of the victims for burial.
As of this report, many injured victims are still being conveyed to Baga, while JAS operatives are reportedly pursuing the ISWAP attackers. No clashes have been reported between the rival factions.
Eyewitnesses described the attack as deadly in, with many victims succumbing to their injuries due to the remote location and lack of immediate medical intervention due to the location of the attack in the enclaves of the terrorists.
Zagazola understands that the Nigerian military had established secure perimeters where farmers and fishermen could operate under military protection.
However, some farmers opted to negotiate directly with ISWAP, bypassing the safe zones. This decision, unfortunately, resulted in tragic consequences.
The incident demonstrates the deadly rivalry between Boko Haram and ISWAP, as well as the ongoing danger faced by civilians in the Lake Chad region, where clashes between the factions frequently spill over into attacks on vulnerable communities.
