Boko Haram kills at least 70 farm workers in Nigeria
CGTN
FILE PHOTO: Members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) inspect a street in a neighbourhood of the northeastern Nigeria city of Maiduguri after an attack. (Photo credit AUDU ALI MARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) inspect a street in a neighbourhood of the northeastern Nigeria city of Maiduguri after an attack. (Photo credit AUDU ALI MARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

At least 70 villagers were killed in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State in gruesome attack by suspected Islamist militants.

Reuters reports that around 30 of those killed were beheaded in the attack which began on Saturday morning in Zabarmari village.

No group had claimed responsibility for the attack by the time of publication, but residents point fingers to Boko Haram which has staged deadly attacks in the West African country for more than a decade.

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attack, calling upon the country's security forces to "protect the country's population and its territory."

"I condemn the killing of our hardworking farmers by terrorists in Borno State. The entire country is hurt by these senseless killings. My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls Rest In Peace," he said.

Bodies of those killed in the attack were buried earlier on Sunday, with Borno state governor Babagana Zulum calling on the federal government to recruit more soldiers, Civilian Joint Task Force members and civil defence fighters to protect farmers in the region.