Islamist extremists Boko Haram continue their long reign of terror in Northeast Nigeria, this time kidnapping 60 women and girls, and 31 boys. Witnesses on Tuesday said that the terrorists took married women, along with some of their children ranging from three to 15 years of age.
The Associated Press reported on word from an official in the region regarding the confirmation of the abductions, but the African nation’s security forces claimed it was not true. This signals a larger rift between Nigerian government officials and the people the nation is supposed to protect. Many critics of the nation’s military say the response in helping locating over 200 schoolgirls back in April has been paltry at best.
News of the kidnapping emerged from Kummabza, a town around 95 miles from Maiduguri in Borno state, which is where many Boko Haram soldiers have been sparking attacks and skirmishes.
The AP has more:
Kummabza resident Aji Khalil said Tuesday the abductions took place Saturday in an attack in which four villagers were killed. Khalil is a member of one of the vigilante groups that have had some success in repelling Boko Haram attacks with primitive weapons.
A senior councilor from the village’s Damboa local government told The Associated Press that abductions had occurred but insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to give information to reporters. He said elderly survivors of the attack had walked some 25 kilometers (15 miles) to the relative safety of other villages.
The nation’s military leaders say they know where the earlier group of kidnapped girls are, but have stalled on rescue efforts out of fear Boko Haram would slay them. The extremists said they would exchange the girls for Boko Haram prisoners held by the country Nigerian president Jonathan Goodluck has said he would not consider such a deal.
The lack of border safety in the growing Boko Haram menace has led to sightings of Boko Haram and the kidnapped girls in the countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
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Photo: AP
