Gov. Babagana Zulum has expressed surprise and sadness over the execution of eight farmers in Borno State’s Mafa Local Government Area by the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP).

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the killing took place on Thursday at 1 p.m. in Shuwarin, Tomsu Ngamdu, Baram Karauwa, and Muna while the farmers were working on their crops.

Zulum, who visited Mafa, called the attack a tragic one.

The physically troubled governor promised that his administration would partner with security agencies to deploy more security officials to secure farmlands in the state.

“The state government will immediately convene a Security Council meeting to come up with ways of ensuring adequate security for farmers.

“The government will also inaugurate the Agro Rangers team, comprising the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Army, the Civilian Joint Task Force and hunters to protect farmers,” he said.

Food insecurity, he added, was a worse catastrophe than Boko Haram, and that the government would do everything possible to guarantee that people have access to their agricultural land.

Government forces in northeast Nigeria have been battling Boko Haram extremists who launched an insurgency in 2009.

No fewer than 35,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million have been displaced due to the violence, according to data from UN agencies in Nigeria.