The incident took place while the farmers were harvesting their crops at a rice field in Garin Kwashebe area of the state, Premium Times reports.

A lawmaker, who spoke to the online newspaper said the farmers were attacked while residents of the state were voting to elect local government council officials.

The lawmaker said the farmers “were rounded up and summarily slaughtered by the armed insurgents”

While confirming the incident, Hassan Zambarmani, a former chairman of a rice farmers association in Borno State said the incident happened around 11 a m. 

He said, “It was a sad incident that took place at about 11 a.m today. The farmers were attacked at the Garin-Kwashebe rice field, and according to reports reaching us since afternoon, about 40 of them were killed.

“But we have been receiving conflicting information on the casualty figures — some said it was up to 50 farmers that were slaughtered.”

Also confirming the incident , Ahmed Satomi, a member of House Representatives, who represents Jere federal constituency described the killing of the farmers as a sad development.