Boko Haram kidnaps dozens of displaced women in Borno
Dozens of female internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been taken by Boko Haram insurgents in Ngala, the headquarters of Gambarou Ngala in Borno State, according to a local source who shared details with Daily Trust.
A security insider, speaking on the condition of anonymity, verified the abduction and mentioned that an estimated 113 individuals were taken.
The incident occurred last Sunday, as recounted by a source from the Babban Sansani IDPs camp, explaining that the women were collecting firewood in the bush for both personal and business use when they were captured.
“They were surrounded by the insurgents in Bula kunte bush in the western part of Ngala town. They freed the old-aged and entered the bush with 319 abled young girls and some young boys.
“But, three of the girls who escaped and returned to Ngala said the boys (insurgents) took them to a bush close to Bukar-mairam village in Chad republic.
READ ALSO: Boko Haram terrorists attack election collation centre in Yobe, kill 2 people
“They escaped in the dead of night after the insurgents fell asleep, trekking for two days before they arrived in Ngala.
“Most of the IDPs girls abducted were from Babban Sansani camp, and the rest from Zulum and Arabic camps.
“They went to the bush to fetch firewood for sale in dozens because the food we are getting from the camp is not enough to feed us. Life is so difficult here,” he said.
Another source from the security said they always warned the IDPs against going to some areas in the bush for fear of attack.
“We always warn them to stay within safe areas, but it’s the economic pressure that forces most of them to go. They have no means of livelihood other than cutting off the tree for sale.
“A small measure of corn flour is sold at N2,200 where can they get the money to buy? We can’t stop them if we can’t feed them,” he said.
This is one of the major abductions that took place in Borno, since the kidnapping of 276 girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, on the night of 14 April 2014.
