Boko Haram has seized a minimum of 42 women in an assault within the Borno state of northeast Nigeria. The attack targeted women collecting firewood in the Jere district, located in Borno, which serves as the epicenter for the extremist group’s 14-year-long insurgency.
The abduction was brought to light by a member of the local security group called the Civilian Joint Task Force, who identified himself as Abba. Kachalla Maidugu, a government spokesperson in the district, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Tuesday but was reported only on the following Wednesday.
“We were informed yesterday that 46 women were taken, however, only four were permitted to return home, leaving 42 still held captive,” stated Maidugu. He added that the insurgents demanded a ransom of N50,000 for each woman. However, local negotiations have led to a lower amount being discussed for the release of the abducted women.
The extremists carried out their most recent abduction shortly after ambushing security personnel who were safeguarding farmers in the vicinity, as reported by Abba from the local security group.
Boko Haram initiated an insurgency in 2009 with the aim of opposing Western education and instituting Islamic Shariah law within Nigeria. The consequences of the extremist violence have been dire, resulting in the loss of at least 35,000 lives and the displacement of 2.1 million people, according to information provided by U.N. agencies operating in Nigeria.
