The Governor of Borno State Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has appealed to the federal government to recruit more native youths to help fight the Boko Haram in the region. 

Governor Zulum made the appeal on Sunday, November 29 at the burial of 43 rice farmers who were on Saturday, murdered while harvesting their crops. 

We need many boots to protect farmlands and our youths understand the terrain. We will not lose hope because we have to remain optimistic about ending the insurgency".

Reports say the farmers were attacked at Koshebe village, a place in Mafa Local Government Area.

Residents told the governor that the exact number of casualties has not been ascertained as only 43 bodies that had been retrieved as of Sunday morning were being buried. 

"Your Excellency, as you have seen here, 43 corpses were buried, but others have not been retrieved from the scene of the incident. Nobody can tell you the exact number of people killed. Some of the victims are still missing" an unnamed resident told the Governor.

UNITED NATIONS CLAIM 110 RICE FARMERS WERE MURDERED, NIGERIA ARMY DISAGREES

The United Nations on Sunday reported 110 rice farmers were murdered by Boko Haram fighters during the Zambari attack, reports the Nigerian Army has debunked. 

According to the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, many other persons were injured in the deadly attack by the terrorist group.

 “I am outraged and horrified by the gruesome attack against civilians carried out by non-state armed groups in villages near Borno State capital Maiduguri. At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack,” Kallon said in a statement. 

Kallon also stated that many women might have been kidnapped during the attack, describing the incident as “the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year.”

READ MORE: BOKO HARAM MURDERS 45 FARMERS IN BORNO

However, the Nigeria Military has debunked the UN death figures. On Monday, November 30, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, reiterated that 43 corpses were recovered from the scene of the incident in Zabarmari.

General Enenche said his troops and the local counted the bodies “and they counted 43.”

He however added that more bodies may be discovered later.

“Probably we may count up to the figure he gave in the future,” Enenche said. “But as it is, up till the time I came here, what we have counted with the locals is still 43. And we are hoping that we don’t get beyond that. So that’s the real situation.”

BORNO RESIDENTS LIVING IN TWO EXTREME CONDITIONS

Governor Zulum on Sunday expressed sadness over the Zambari carnage, lamenting that the people of Borno are facing two extremely difficult situations. 

 "It is disheartening that more than 40 citizens were slaughtered while they were working in their farmlands. Our people are in very difficult situations, they are in two different extreme conditions, in one side they stay at home they may be killed by hunger and starvation, on the other, they go out to their farmlands and risk getting killed by the insurgents,” the Governor said.