Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed 14 Nigerian fishermen in the Diffa district of Niger, according to a leader of an anti-jihadist militia.
The fishermen, who had fled violence in northeast Nigeria, were ambushed while fishing near Bosso, close to the Nigerian border, on Sunday.
Babakura Kolo, the leader of a vigilante group supporting Nigeria’s military, confirmed the killings. “All 14 fishermen had their throats slit by the Boko Haram terrorists who operate in the Bosso area close to the border,” Kolo stated.
The victims hailed from the Nigerian towns of Malam Fatori and Doron Baga, and had sought refuge in Niger due to the ongoing insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.
The Diffa region, which borders Nigeria and Chad, has seen a rise in attacks by both Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in recent years. Despite military efforts, the region remains a hotspot for insurgent violence.
Ibrahim Liman, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), which aids the Nigerian military in Borno State, confirmed the attack took place just a few kilometers from Malam Fatori, on the Nigerian side of the border, and verified the number of casualties.
Northeastern Nigeria has been embroiled in a 15-year conflict, which has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people. According to the United Nations, approximately 138,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring Niger.
Many of the displaced rely on fishing, logging, and scavenging metal scraps to survive, often with insufficient food aid. Jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, have escalated attacks on civilians engaged in these activities, accusing them of collaborating with the military and militias.
In May, ISWAP militants killed dozens of fishermen on three islands in Nigeria’s portion of Lake Chad, reportedly in retaliation for military airstrikes that destroyed their camps, resulting in heavy losses. Lake Chad, which spans Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, remains a key base for both Boko Haram and ISWAP, who use it as a strategic hub for cross-border attacks.
