Eleven farmers have been killed in two separate attacks on rice fields in Zabarmari district of Borno State by suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents.
The attacks occurred late Saturday, June 19, and early Sunday, June 20, 2026, according to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The report said the insurgents stormed farming areas outside Maiduguri, where they surrounded farmers working on their crops before killing them.
Babakura Kolo, a leader of an anti-jihadist militia in the area, said 11 bodies had been recovered from the fields.
“We have so far recovered 11 bodies… all of them slaughtered by the Boko Haram attackers,” he said.
The attackers were also reported to have abducted several farmers during the raids, although the number of missing persons has not been confirmed.
The killings have left families in Zabarmari mourning while raising fresh fears among farmers who depend on the area’s farmlands for their livelihoods.
Zabarmari is a major farming community where rice cultivation provides income and food for many residents.
Security agencies have not released any official statement on the incident as of the time of this report.
