Fourteen Nigerian fishermen in Niger’s Diffa district have reportedly been killed by Boko Haram terrorists.

The victims had fled violence in northeast Nigeria but were ambushed while fishing on Sunday near Bosso, close to the Nigerian border.

A leader of a vigilante group assisting Nigeria’s military, Babakura Kolo, 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 said.

The fishermen hailed from the Nigerian towns of Malam Fatori and Doron Baga and were among thousands of displaced persons who sought refuge in Niger Republic to escape relentless raids by armed groups.

The Diffa region, which borders Nigeria and Chad, has endured a surge in attacks by Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in recent years.

Boko Haram terrorists slaughter 14 Nigerian fishermen