A landmine allegedly planted by fleeing Boko Haram insurgents has reportedly killed seven returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Goniri town of Gujba Local Government Area, Yobe State.

The victims had returned to their places of abode sequel to relative peace in their area after it was recaptured by security forces.

The Yobe State Commissioner of Home Affairs Information and Culture, Aji Bularafa, who confirmed the incident to Channels Television, said that the returnees were clearing their farmlands in preparation for the cropping season, when they met their untimely death due to the explosive devices buried in the farmland, killing seven of them.

The Yobe State Government, through its Ministry of Home Affairs Information and Culture, is embarking on a sensitisation campaign to educate inhabitants of Gujba, Gulani, Damaturu, Geidam and Yunusari local government areas worse hit by the insurgency to be careful while farming as the insurgents might have planted explosives across several farmlands in their previously controlled territory.

The commissioner said that security report has it that explosive devices may have been buried in the farmland by the terrorists group, since the Boko Haram had lived in the area over the years.

Apart from farmlands, the commissioner cautioned residents to be careful with their houses as similar explosive devices might have been buried by the fleeing militants during their sojourn in the areas.

Aji Bularafa cautioned the inhabitants of Gujba, Gulani, Geidam, Yunusari and parts of Damaturu local government areas to be careful while embarking on farming activities and to contact security agents to deploy bomb detectives to areas or spots suspected of accommodating such explosive devices for confirmation and subsequent diffusion.

•Photo shows Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau with close aides.

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