At least 200 people, mostly women and children, abducted by extremists in northeastern Nigeria

Source: AP

By CHINEDU ASADU
Updated 4:21 AM CST, March 7, 2024

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 200 people, mostly women and children displaced by violence in northeastern Nigeria, were abducted by Islamic extremists while they were searching for firewood near the border with Chad, the United Nations office in Nigeria said late Wednesday.

The victims had left several displacement camps to look for firewood in Borno state’s Gamboru Ngala council area when they were ambushed and taken hostage, the U.N. said, in the latest attack in the conflict-hit region where frequent abductions and killings limit movement.

“The exact number of people abducted remains unknown but is estimated at over 200 people,” the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Nigeria Mohamed Fall said in a statement about the attacks, which occurred several days ago but whose details are only emerging now because of limited access to information in the area.

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

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-borno-gamboru-ngala-un-kidnap-b3290a225d78951b0a7acdb5642f2453