Boko Haram Terrorists Slaughter 14 Nigerian Fishermen Who Fled To Niger Republic Town

Bloodthirsty Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed 14 Nigerian fishermen in Niger's Diffa district, according to an anti-jihadist militia leader on Tuesday.

The victims, who had fled violence in northeast Nigeria, were ambushed while fishing on Sunday near Bosso, close to the Nigerian border.

Babakura Kolo, leader of a vigilante group assisting Nigeria's military, confirmed the killings.

“All 14 fishermen had their throats slit by the Boko Haram terrorists who operate in the Bosso area close to the border,” Kolo said.

The fishermen hailed from the Nigerian towns of Malam Fatori and Doron Baga and were among thousands of displaced persons who sought refuge in Niger Republic to escape relentless raids by armed groups.

The Diffa region, which borders Nigeria and Chad, has endured a surge in attacks by Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in recent years.

The region remains a hotbed of insurgency, despite military efforts to curb the violence.

AFP reports that the state-funded Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), comprising locals recruited and trained by the Nigerian military, operates in Borno State to support efforts against jihadist insurgents.

According to Ibrahim Liman, a CJTF member, an attack occurred just a few kilometers from Malam Fatori, on the Nigerian side of the border.

Liman confirmed the casualty toll resulting from the assault.

Northeastern Nigeria has been engulfed in a 15-year-long conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced approximately two million people. An estimated 138,000 individuals have fled to neighboring Niger, according to United Nations data.

Many of the displaced, dependent on international aid, engage in fishing, logging, and scavenging metal scraps to supplement their inadequate food rations.

Jihadist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have intensified attacks on civilians involved in these activities, accusing them of espionage and collaboration with the military and allied militias.

In May, ISWAP militants killed dozens of fishermen on three islands in Nigeria's portion of Lake Chad.

Meanwhile, the massacre was said to be retaliation for military airstrikes that decimated ISWAP camps, leading to heavy losses among fighters and their families.

Lake Chad, spanning Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, serves as a stronghold for both Boko Haram and ISWAP.

The groups exploit the lake as a strategic base for launching cross-border attacks into the surrounding countries.