Terrorists Attack Farmers in Borno, Kill 15

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed 15 farmers in Ala and Musune wards of Marte Local Government Area in Borno State.

Our reporter learned that the farmers were ambushed while working on their land on Wednesday evening. They were attacked as they went about their daily activities.

Sources say that 15 bodies were found and buried on Thursday. Three others who were with them are still missing. The Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, confirmed the deaths to PUNCH Online on Friday.

"Yes, there was an attack in Marte. 15 people were killed while others are still missing. Efforts are ongoing to determine their whereabouts," he said.

The PPRO mentioned that details about the attack are still coming in. He promised to update the public once more information is available.

Local sources told our reporters that the victims were mostly peasant farmers and firewood gatherers. They included young men, married men, and older individuals.

One source, who asked to remain anonymous, said the farmers were ambushed while they were working. "They were ambushed by terrorists while carrying out their daily work, bound, forced to lie down, and executed at close range," he explained.

The source also claimed that some victims were decapitated. "Many people were killed. Some were not even recognisable. So far, we have buried 15 out of the 18; we are currently searching for three persons," the source added.

Another source said that community members took the bodies from the scene and buried them according to Islamic customs. "It was after the incident that community members picked their bodies from the farm where they were massacred. The bodies found have been buried according to Islamic rites," the source said.

Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International has condemned the attack. They called the killings horrific in a statement released on Friday.

The group stated that these killings are a serious violation of international humanitarian law. "Amnesty International strongly condemns the horrific killing of at least 15 people on Thursday, 1 October 2026, in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria.

The victims, who were local residents gathering firewood to support their families, were ambushed by a suspected Boko Haram group," the statement said.

They also pointed out that targeting civilians is a serious violation of international law. "Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate, transparent, and human-rights-compliant measures to protect vulnerable communities living in the region," the statement concluded.