ISWAP Terrorists Kill 23 Farmers and Fishermen in Borno State Village Attack

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At least 23 farmers and fishermen have been brutally killed by terrorists of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in a deadly attack on Malam Karanti, a village located near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The assault occurred early Thursday morning, just five kilometres from the town of Baga.

According to local sources, the terrorists rounded up civilians in the village before executing them. Most of the victims were reportedly bean farmers who had gone out for work. An elderly man was spared by the attackers and later raised the alarm, informing nearby communities of the massacre.

“The terrorists assembled people in Malam Karanti and killed them. Most of the victims were bean farmers,” a local source confirmed.

Efforts to recover the bodies were thwarted when ISWAP launched a follow-up attack, forcing residents and security personnel to retreat from the area. Many families remain in anguish as they await news of missing relatives.

“We tried to organise a rescue mission with security agencies to recover the victims’ bodies, but the terrorists returned and prevented us. Many families are waiting for their loved ones,” another source reported.

Malam Karanti, despite being a known ISWAP stronghold, is frequented by civilians who continue to farm and fish in the area due to economic necessity, exposing them to repeated threats from the terrorist group.

In response to the ongoing violence, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, assured residents of Borno State and the wider North-East region that the military is intensifying efforts to eliminate ISWAP and other terrorist factions. He emphasized that security forces are working around the clock to dismantle terrorist enclaves and restore lasting peace.

General Musa noted that the military is receiving international support, particularly from countries like Russia and France, to acquire and deploy advanced weaponry to strengthen counter-terrorism operations.

He also highlighted that the planned recharging of Lake Chad would enhance military mobility and access across the region, particularly in hard-to-reach areas like the Chad Basin, where ISWAP benefits from the local economy of farming and fishing to sustain its logistics network.