At least 44 rice farmers were killed by suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group while harvesting their crops, a lawmaker has said.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the farmers were attacked as they were working on a rice field at Garin Kwashebe.

A member of House Representatives, Ahmed Satomi, who represents Jere federal constituency confirmed the incident in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

“It was a very sad development that happened today at Zabarmari rice field general area,” he said.

“Farmers and fishermen were killed in cold blood. We have so far received 44 corpses from the farms and we are preparing for their burials tomorrow by God’s grace.”

The lawmaker said the farmers “were attacked because they had on Friday disarmed and arrested a Boko Haram gunman who had been tormenting them.”