40 boys abducted by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria

The Boko Haram militants in Nigeria have abducted 40 boys from Malari village in Borno, Nigeria. Residents fleeting from the village said that the abductions took place on the eve of the new year, when the militants gathered all the males in the village for preaching, and thereafter fled with as many as 40 of them.

Punch quoted Bulama Muhammad, who told AFP, “They came in pick-up trucks armed with guns and gathered all the men in the village outside the home of the village chief where they preached to us before singling out 40 of our boys and taking them away.”

Muhammad, whose two sons and three nephews are abducted, believes that Boko Haram are going to use them as conscripts.

Following this incident, the residents of Malari and nearby villages fled, as they feared they could be targeted next by the militant group.

Ibrahim Musa, another villager who fled, told Sahara Reporters that the youths were parked in two Hilux vehicles which headed towards Sambisa forest, the infamous Boko Haram camp, about 20 kilometers away.

There was no immediate comment on the incident from the military in Maiduguri, according to Punch.

Boko Haram militants, in the summers of the previous month, had kidnapped 200 schoolgirls, many of whom have not yet returned back, though this incident had gathered enough of international attention.

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About Suyash Karangutkar

Suyash Karangutkar is a young, dedicated and an enthusiastic journalist who has a deep interest in National and International Affairs. He is an ardent political spectator who finds politics fascinating. At Spectralhues, he heads the Mumbai team and covers National Affairs & Politics. He also occasionally writes columns for Spectralhues. He can be followed on Twitter @columnistsuyash