It was on Saturday that the militia group stated that over 40 rice farmers and fishermen were found dead in the area, which is outside the million-strong city of Maiduguri, writes Al Jazeera.

On Sunday, the bodies were buried.

The death toll was later revised by the country's authorities, who then said that about 70 people had been killed and that they were looking for a number of people who were still missing.

But according to Edward Kallon, UN coordinator in the country, the figure is far higher than that - 110 are said to have been killed in the attack, he writes in a statement.

A large number of the victims must have been beheaded.

There is also information that a number of women have been kidnapped.

No organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which has been condemned by President Muhammadu Buhari, who calls the act "insane".