Concerns over Boko Haram Rise as Individuals Disappear
Dozens of internally displaced individuals are believed to have been taken by Boko Haram militants in the northeastern region of Nigeria. The victims, mostly women residing in a camp in Gamboru Ngala town, had fled their homes due to attacks by the insurgents, according to local sources.
The abductions occurred while the group was out gathering firewood for cooking or selling. Reports on the exact number of people abducted vary significantly, ranging from nearly 50 to over 300.
The largest mass kidnapping by Boko Haram happened in 2014 when more than 270 schoolgirls were taken from their dormitory in Chibok town, also located in northeastern Borno state. The recent abductions occurred a few days ago, but information is only now coming to light due to the remote location of Gamboru Ngala, situated on the shores of Lake Chad, where the jihadists have destroyed communication infrastructure.
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Borno state officials informed the BBC that a response team had been dispatched to the area where the abductions took place, but no further details were provided. The road leading to the town has been closed off. These abductions coincide with the statement from Borno’s state government that 95% of Boko Haram fighters have either been killed or surrendered.
While neither the state nor federal government has addressed the recent abductions, the local government chairman in the area, Umar Mohammed, confirmed the incidents without specifying the number of individuals taken.
A resident of Gamboru Ngala informed the BBC that 113 people were kidnapped by Boko Haram fighters. The resident mentioned that on Sunday, over 200 displaced individuals went to gather firewood, but unfortunately, they were abducted by Boko Haram, leaving only the very young and elderly to return.
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Shehu Mada, a leader of an anti-jihadist militia in the region, attributed the abductions to a faction of Boko Haram called the Islamic State of West Africa Province (Iswap), according to a report by AFP news agency. He mentioned that a count revealed 47 women were taken captive, with some able to flee. The conflict in northern Nigeria has been ongoing since 2009, resulting in over 40,000 fatalities and displacing two million individuals.