No fewer than 40 farmers have been reportedly killed in the Dumba community in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, with the whereabouts of several others yet to be ascertained following an attack by the terrorists believed to be members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province.
Chronicle NG gathered that the Boko Haram attack, which happened around 4:30 pm on Sunday, also left dozens of farmers missing who may have been abducted by the militants.
The attack was confirmed by the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, in a statement on Monday.
“Investigation has commenced on the circumstances behind this attack. Initial reports indicate about 40 farmers have been killed, while the whereabouts of many who escaped the attack are being traced for reunion with their families,” Tar revealed.
This comes just 24 hours after a similar attack on the Chibok town in the state’s south claimed the lives of two people and set fire to a church.
He claimed Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the attack in “strong terms,” even as he urged the military to track down and clear insurgents operating in Dumba and other similar enclaves around Lake Chad.
According to sources, the victims were attacked by terrorists after crossing the military-marked security track around the communities to prevent inhabitants from entering Boko Haram or ISWAP areas.
Boko Haram has carried out three devastating attacks in the Kukawa area since 2014, when terrorist attacks in Borno State increased.
Boko Haram sacked Baga, the seat of Kukawa Local Government and one of Borno’s commercial hubs, in December 2019 after a two-day violent attack.
Nearly a dozen military personnel were apprehended and then executed in a horrible manner. Thousands of inhabitants evacuated their houses, marking the town’s third large-scale displacement since 2014.
In the statement, Zulum decried the tragic attack on farmers and fishermen in Dumba. He expressed his grief over the incident and asked the troops to find the killers.
Tar stated that initial reports suggested that the attackers killed approximately 40 individuals and that several others fled to adjacent locations while efforts were underway to locate survivors and reconnect them with their families.
He stated that the governor directed the armed forces to hunt and neutralise the culprits operating in Dumba and other enclaves in Lake Chad.
He assured the residents that the state government was committed to ensuring justice and enhancing security.
“With deep sorrow and anguish, I received the sad news of the attack on Dumba, where scores of our farmers and fishermen were killed by terrorists.
“On behalf of the government, I sympathise with the victims’ families. Let me assure the citizens of Borno that this matter will be thoroughly investigated for necessary action,” he said.
According to him, Zulum noted that the victims had ventured outside the security perimeters established by the government and military into areas not yet cleared of insurgents or landmines.
He urged the Borno people to adhere to the “safe corridors” demarcated by security agencies to avoid such risks.
“The government has clearly demarcated land for safe farming and economic activities, allowing the military to focus on clearing unsafe areas. Citizens should not enter areas prone to terrorist attacks or contaminated by landmines,” he added.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
