New Boko Haram abductions reported in Nigeria

Security forces have denied the kidnappings which witnesses say killed at least four villagers.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria // Islamic extremists have abducted 60 more girls and women and 31 boys from villages in north-east Nigeria, witnesses said Tuesday.

Security forces denied the kidnappings. Nigeria’s government and military have been widely criticised for their slow response to the abductions of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped April 15.

There was no way to safely and independently confirm the report from Kummabza, 150 kilometres from Maiduguri, capital of Borno state and headquarters of a military state of emergency that has failed to curtail near-daily attacks by Boko Haram fighters.

Kummabza resident Aji Khalil said Tuesday the abductions took place Saturday in an attack in which four villagers were killed. Mr Khalil is a member of one of the vigilante groups that have had some success in repelling Boko Haram attacks with primitive weapons.

A senior local councillor from the village’s Damboa local government said that abductions had occurred but insisted on anonymity because he was not authorised to give information to reporters. He said elderly survivors of the attack had walked some 25 kilometres to the relative safety of other villages.

The Damboa council secretary, Modu Mustapha, said he could not confirm or deny the abductions and directed a reporter to the council chairman, Alamin Mohammed, who did not answer phone calls or respond to text messages.

The new kidnappings add to Nigeria’s crisis over the April kidnappings and the continuing violence from the Islamic militant group Boko Haram.

A strategy to rescue the girls appears to have reached an impasse. Nigeria’s military has said it knows where they are but fears their abductors would kill them if any military action is taken. Boko Haram has been demanding the release of detained members in exchange for its hostages but president Goodluck Jonathan has said he will not consider a swap.

Politics have bedevilled the issue, with many distracted by upcoming presidential elections in February 2015. The first lady, Patience Jonathan, and some other supporters have claimed the reports of the April abductions of the schoolgirls were fabricated to discredit her husband’s administration.

* Associated Press