UN Denounces The Murder Of 26 Fisherman By Alleged ISWAP Militants

The massacre of 26 fisherman in Borno state by alleged members of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) has been categorically denounced by the United Nations (UN).

26 fisherman were allegedly slain in an assault by suspected ISWAP members in the Borno hamlet of Mukdolo in the Gamborun Ngala region.

According to a report by Zagazola Makama, on March 8, 2023, ISWAP members attacked, murdered, and tortured the fisherman.

According to military officials quoted in the magazine, scores of militants on motorbikes entered the hamlet of Mukdolo and randomly opened fire.

The reports said that three of the fishermen received gunshot wounds, but at least nine of the fishermen were able to flee the area.

Then, purportedly, the gunmen encircled those who couldn’t flee before torturing and executing them.

In a formal statement on Thursday, the UN expressed sympathy to the lost families and wished the wounded a speedy recovery via its Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale.

The victims of the horrible crime, according to Schmale, “were farmers and fishermen trying to make a living in a very unsafe environment.”

He said that the incident served as just another horrifying reminder of the everyday insecurity that IDPs and those impacted by the region’s 13-year violent war face.

The UN coordinator in Nigeria also claimed that non-state armed groups’ operations had caused Mukdolo to be abandoned before the invasion.

According to Schmale, all parties to the conflict must uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians from harm. He also urged authorities to look into the most recent crime and bring the offenders to justice.