Militants kill 16; dozens missing

Boko Haram jihadists have killed at least 16 farmers and left dozens missing in the latest attacks in restive northeast Nigeria's Borno state, militia and residents said yesterday.

The civilian militia fighting the Islamists found 15 bodies in fields around Kazaa and Daraa villages, five kilometres outside the garrison town of Monguno on Tuesday.

A farmer was also shot dead while working near Gremari village, 13 kms from the state capital Maiduguri.

"Yesterday our members recovered 15 bodies from farms around neighbouring Kazaa and Daraa villages who were killed by Boko Haram on Monday," militia leader Ibrahim Liman told AFP.

"Another 35 people have not been seen and a search will continue today (Wednesday) to find them," he said.

The farmers were mostly from camps in Monguno housing people displaced by the nine-year Islamist insurgency.

Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on farmers and loggers in recent years, accusing them of passing information on the group to the military.