Nigeria kidnapping: 60 girls and women, 31 boys said to be abducted

ROBYN DIXON

latimes.com

At least 91 people – more than 60 women and girls, and 31 school boys – were abducted last week by suspected Boko Haram militants, two months after the terror group kidnapped more than 300 schoolgirls in northeastern Nigeria, according to witnesses. Local media reported about 60 people were abducted in attacks on villages south of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, between Thursday and Saturday. The attack comes as more than 270 school girls are still held by Boko Haram, more than two months after their abductions from a school in Chibok town in April. Several dozen of the girls managed to escape. About 30 people were reported to have been killed by the extremists in the latest attack. Elderly residents fled their homes, trekking 15 miles to seek help. Among those abducted by gunmen were women with young children and babies – a common occurrence in Borno state since last year, Nigeria’s Premium Times reported. Boko Haram, a violent Islamist militia, fighting for an Islamic state in Nigeria, stepped up its attacks beginning five years ago and has recently launched violent raids on villages, markets, bus stations, churches and schools. Nigeria has also seen bomb attacks on soccer fans watching world cup soccer matches at public soccer viewing venues, which have been blamed on Boko Haram.

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