At least 40 farmers were killed in an attack by militant extremists in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, a government official said on Monday.
The attack on Sunday was suspected to have been carried out by extremists from the Boko Haram group, said Borno state Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
He warned civilians to stay within designated “safe zones” that have been cleared by the army of both extremists and munitions.
Zulum also called for an investigation into the attack by the armed forces.
'Track and deal decisively with perpetrators'
"Let me assure the citizens of Borno that this matter will be thoroughly investigated for further necessary action.
"Let me use this opportunity to call on the armed forces to track and deal decisively with the perpetrators of this heinous act of violence against our innocent citizens,” he said.
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown militants, took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of education.
The conflict, now Africa’s longest struggle with militancy, has spilled into Nigeria’s northern neighbours.
Chibok girls' abduction
Some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than two million have been displaced in the northeastern region, according to the UN
The 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in the village of Chibok in Borno state — the epicentre of the conflict — captured the attention of the world.
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