June 24, 2014
By Ndahi Marama
Maiduguri—At least 91 persons, were said to have been abducted by suspected Islamic militants between Thursday and Sunday from the Kumanza,Yaga and Dagu, Damboa and Dagu, Damboa and Askira Uba Local Government Areas of Borno State, local vigilante officials said yesterday night.
Four other villagers were killed while attempting to escape from their abductors, said Aji Khalil, Chairman, Sector 5 of the local vigilante group in Borno State.
Khalil who spoke on the telephone said: “More than 60 women were among the villagers abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.
“Some suspected Boko Haram members invaded Kumanza, Yaga and Dagu villages and kidnapped 91 persons.
“More than 60 married women and young girls as well as children and young men were forcefully taken away by Boko Haram terrorits. Four villagers, who tried to escape were shot dead on the spot”, Khalil said on telephone yesterday night.
Another source said: ”They went from one village to the other, killed about 30 people and took away many children and women.” He added that hundreds of villagers around the area have now fled to Lassa to take refuge.
The attacks were not immediately known in Maiduguri because of the remoteness of the area. The affected villages are about 100 kilometres away from Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
There was no official confirmation either by the military or police in the state at press time. Also, chairman of Damboa Local Government, Alhaji Alamin Mohammed could not be reached on his mobile phone while the council secretary, Modu Mustapha insisted he was not authorized to speak on the matter.
Meanwhile, four suspected Boko Haram members have been arrested in Lassa few kilometres away to Kummabza, Gurdlagwal, Yafa and Yaza villages attacked weekend, residents said.
The four men were arrested while purchasing large quantities of foodstuffs at Lassa market, yesterday. The quantity of food items being purchased by the men, according to the source aroused the suspicion of traders and people in the market.
“People suspected the four men may be Boko Haram errand men, who came to the market to buy foodstuffs and also spy for the insurgents. “We’ve handed them over to the military for investigation,” a resident said.
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