Boko Haram terrorists launch fresh attack, abduct over 100 women IDPs while fetching firewood in Borno

Boko Haram terrorists have carried out a fresh attack and reportedly abducted over 100 female internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ngala, the headquarters of Gambarou Ngala in Borno State.

According to reports, the incident happened on Sunday, when the women went to fetch firewood in the bush for domestic and commercial purposes.

Although the number of abductees has not been confirmed yet, a resident of Gamboru Ngala told the BBC that about 113 people were abducted when they went to get firewood. He said the abductors allowed only the very young and very old to return.

“It was on Sunday that we got information that over 200 displaced people went to get firewood but unfortunately Boko Haram kidnapped them, allowing only the very young and very old to return,” the source was quoted as saying.

The source added that most of the abducted IDPs girls 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,” the source said.

Another source from the security circle said they had 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 forced 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 State since the kidnapping of 276 girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, on the night of April 14, 2014.

No terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the abduction yet, but Shehu Mada, anti-jihadist militia leader in the area, blamed the abduction on Boko Haram, a notorious terrorist organisation infamous for abductions and bomb blasts in Borno and other states in northern Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has said it “strongly condemns” the reported abduction of internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of them women, boys and girls, in the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a release on Thursday said that the exact number of people abducted remains unknown “but it is estimated at over 200 people.”

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said,

“On 29 February, members of a non-state armed group (NSAG) allegedly abducted the IDPs who had reportedly ventured beyond the safety of the trenches surrounding Ngala – from the ISS, Zulum, Kaigama, and Arabic IDP camps – in search of firewood.

“While an unspecified number of older women and children under 10 have reportedly been released, scores of IDPs remain unaccounted for, according to protection partners.

“I stand in solidarity with the families of all those abducted, especially children, and their communities and urge those who have abducted them to release them without harm.

“On behalf of the United Nations, I remind all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm.

“In addition, I urge authorities and other partners to provide more livelihood opportunities for IDPs in camps in Borno State, alongside ongoing efforts for lasting solutions, to reduce the risks of insecurity and violence faced by IDPs.

“More than two million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states have fled to garrison towns where they have few, if any, livelihood options. Those who venture beyond the protective trenches surrounding these towns to forage or farm do so at great peril, with killings, abductions, forced recruitment and sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) rampant.

“Two days to the commemoration of International Women’s Day, this incident is a stark reminder that women and girls are among those most affected by conflict. The crisis in the BAY states is disproportionately affecting women, boys and girls. There is a high prevalence of GBV against women and adolescent girls, while boys are targeted for recruitment by NSAGs.”

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