Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, was at Zabarmari on Sunday.

Zulum and the villagers attended the funeral of 43 farmers slaughtered by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Zabarmari, a farming community in Jere local government area, is famous for rice cultivation and local processing.

The victims were attacked on Saturday at Koshebe village in Mafa Local Government Area.

Zulum was informed that the actual death toll was yet to be ascertained.

“Your Excellency, as you have seen here, 43 corpses were buried, but others have not been retrieved from the scene of the incident. Nobody can tell you the exact number of people killed. Some of the victims are still missing”, said a prominent resident (name withheld).

The governor commiserated with the the bereaved community.

“Please accept my deepest sympathy over this carnage that affects all of us and every human with conscience.

“I am told some persons are still missing. We have been discussing with the military since yesterday, Insha Allah, the remaining people will be traced soon,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Zulum decried the gruesome murder.

“Our people are in difficult situations. On one side they stay at home they may be killed by hunger and starvation; on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents. This is very sad.

“We are still appealing to the Federal Government to ensure recruitment of more our youths in the CJTF and hunters into the Nigerian military and the Civil Defence so that they can form part of the agro rangers that will protect farmers.

“We need many boots to protect farmlands and our youths understand the terrain. We will not lose hope because we have to remain optimistic about ending the insurgency”, Zulum added.