Boko Haram insurgents on motorcycles stormed the rice fields between the farming villages of Bulakunkumma and Maiwa in the Baram Karowa ward of Mafa Local Government Area. The terrorists, who were moving across the farms in search of food and cash, rounded up a group of farmers. When the farmers said they couldn't afford the requested amounts, the insurgents opened fire, killing ten of them, all men. The attackers then abducted four to nine other farmers. To ensure their escape, they deliberately abducted victims to prevent anyone from immediately reporting the attack to security forces. On the same day, the insurgents also infiltrated Zannari ward in the Mafa LGA, where they extorted N4 million (Four Million Naira) from a businessman to avoid being abducted.
23 Sept 2023 · Fields between Bulakunkumma and Maiwa, Mafa, Borno
Deaths
10
Kidnapped
9
Total casualties
10
Perpetrators
Boko Haram
Response
At the time of the reports, the Borno State Police Command had not yet issued an official statement. Efforts to reach ASP Sani Shatambaya, the spokesman for the Borno Police Command, were unsuccessful.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The attack was fundamentally driven by financial extortion. A source confirmed the terrorists were “roving across farms in search of food and cash,” and killed the farmers when they could not meet their demands. The extortion of N4 million from a businessman on the same day further underscores the financial motive.
Trajectory
This attack reflects Boko Haram's well-established modus operandi of using motorcycles for rapid raids, demanding cash and food, and executing those who cannot pay. The attack occurred just weeks after Governor Zulum warned farmers to leave their fields by 5pm because “the insurgents usually begin roaming the outskirts for prey”
Cycle notes
This incident is a direct echo of Boko Haram's long‑standing strategy of targeting farmers for extortion and killing those who cannot pay, a pattern documented extensively across Borno State. The November 2020 Zabarmari massacre, in which over 40 farmers were beheaded, is the most prominent example of this cycle. The attack also mirrors the October 2023 attack on Gurokayeya village in Yobe State, where insurgents killed 17 youths for refusing to pay a harvest tax. The recurrence of such attacks during harvest seasons suggests a deliberate, predictable cycle of violence designed to disrupt food production and terrorize rural populations.
Pattern
Farmers Targeting
Related — Armed Attack
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At approximately 7 am on Sunday, a large group of bandits on motorcycles (reportedly over 30) attacked worshippers and locals in the Rubu general area of Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State, beginning from Ungwan Fada, moving into Ungwan Turawa, then Ungwan Makama, and finally Rubu village. In Rubu, the bandits attacked the Maranatha Baptist Church and St. Moses Catholic Church, firing indiscriminately as worshippers gathered for early morning services. The attacks resulted in three deaths—Peter Madaki (Ward Head of Ungwan Fada), Elisha Ezekiel (Resident of Ungwan Fada), and Ali Zamani (Youth Leader of Rubu)—and two injuries: Aniro Mai and an unidentified woman. An unspecified number of worshippers and locals were abducted, with reports indicating over 30 people taken. The attackers looted shops and carted away valuables. A female worshipper had one of her ears cut off by the attackers.