Armed fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) killed 23 farmers and
fishermen on the morning of May 15 in the village of Malam Karanti, near Baga in Kukawa County of Nigeria’s Borno state.
The victims, mostly bean farmers from Gwoza, had traveled to the area to work on land under insurgent control. According to a local security source, the attack occurred around 9 a.m.
Eighteen other people were abducted during the attack, and their whereabouts remain unknown. The attackers reportedly accused the victims of collaborating with a rival faction of Boko Haram. ISWAP, a breakaway faction from Boko Haram, has engaged in violent inter-factional rivalries over territory and influence across the Lake Chad region.
Zagazola Makama, a conflict analyst and counter-insurgency expert monitoring activities in the region, confirmed the massacre. The attack continues the trend of jihadist groups targeting civilians in rural farming and fishing communities.
In a statement issued Friday, Amnesty International condemned the killings, describing them as possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. The organization reiterated its call for the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to protect civilians in the Northeast and to investigate and prosecute those responsible. Amnesty also stated that it has documented Boko Haram’s attacks on farmers and fishermen since 2020, particularly for noncompliance with the insurgents’ demands of paying levies and avoiding areas controlled by rival groups.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum warned locals against engaging with insurgent groups in an effort to access farmland. In a recent statement, he cautioned that such interactions fuel violence and often result in betrayal and deadly reprisals.
A local government official from Kukawa, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, said many villagers face a stark choice between starvation and danger.
“People believe that negotiating with insurgents will allow them to work and feed their families, but it often ends in death,” he said.
Attacks on civilians attempting to farm or fish are not new in the Lake Chad region, which remains heavily affected by insurgency. Thousands of people have been driven from their homes and cut off from their livelihoods.
A 2023 report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) estimated that more than 52,250 Christians were killed in Nigeria from 2009 to 2023 by Islamist groups, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Muslim Fulani extremists. The report identified Nigeria as the deadliest country in the world for Christians during that period.
Efforts to address the ongoing violence have struggled to make progress. Although the Nigerian military has increased operations in some parts of the Northeast, communities in remote areas remain vulnerable to attacks.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has pledged to restore security in the region. In response to recent attacks, government officials have reiterated their commitment to strengthening military operations and improving civilian protection. However, rights groups and humanitarian organizations argue that more comprehensive strategies — including community-based protection, humanitarian aid, and long-term reintegration plans for displaced persons — are urgently needed.
More than 2 million people remain internally displaced across northeastern Nigeria due to the conflict, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Many continue to rely on aid agencies for basic needs, with limited access to land or livelihood opportunities.
Security analysts warn that as extremist groups become more fractured and desperate for resources, attacks on civilians are likely to continue. Without adequate security and support structures, residents face mounting threats to their survival. — International Christian Concern
