By MOHAMMED MOMOH

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Abuja

At least 43 people were killed and many injured after assailants attacked rice farmers in Borno State, northern Nigeria at the weekend, even as villagers and the military trade accusations on inaction and sabotage.

Mr Edward Kallon, the United Nation’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, said, “At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack.” However, the military maintained that only 43 were killed on Saturday.

On Sunday, the bodies of 43 slain farmers were buried according to Islamic rites in Zabarmari, Jere local government area. Later on, more bodies were recovered. 

Mr Kallon said several women are also believed to have been kidnapped.

“The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year. I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice,” he said.

The killing has pitted the villagers against the military as both trade accusations bordering on inaction and sabotage. 

Residents accuse the military of failing to respond to their distress calls when the terrorists were gathering for the attack, but the military accuses the villagers of working with Boko Haram militants. 

One of the survivors in the attack, Mr Abubakar Salihu, alleged that the military refused to heed to early information regarding the attack on the village which is about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. 

“We informed military beforehand that our members sighted Boko Haram in large numbers but nothing was done about it,” he said.

“It was a sad day for us in Zabarmari. It could have been averted but the military failed to act on the information we gave them.”

Mr Mohammed Alhaji, a rice farmer, said the victims were harvesting rice when they were summoned and assembled by the insurgents.

“It was a deliberate act to ensure that we do not harvest our farm produce. We need the federal government to assist us and secure our lives,” he said. 

Gen John Enenche, the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, accused some residents of Borno state of sabotaging the military by giving Boko Haram militants information on movement of troops and other operational activities.

Speaking on a local television station on Monday, Gen Enenche said that information gathered indicates that some of the insurgents were cohabiting with the villagers before the attack. 

The military, he said, is trying to build up confidence in the system and encourage residents to stop aiding insurgents.