Boko Haram Abducts 25 More Girls In Nigeria Just Hours After Ceasefire Agreement

It appears that the Boko Haram insurgents have already went back on their word to release over 200 female hostages in a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government. Just hours after the agreement was met, Boko Haram abducted 25 more girls from a small Nigerian village.

According to the Irish Times, John Kwaghe, who witnessed the attack and lost three daughters to the abductors, and Dorathy Tizhe, who lost two, said the kidnappers came late in the night, forcing all the women to go with them, then later released the older ones. The attack cast further doubt on government reports that it has secretly reached a temporary ceasefire with the rebels to secure the release of more than 200 schoolgirls they are holding hostage.

The witnesses say they were all very confused as they believed the Federal Government had reached an agreement with Boko Haram. However, many in the village and throughout Nigeria are now questioning whether the “secret” agreement really took place or not. Mr. Kwaghe went so far as to say if the government doesn’t do anything about it, he and others in the village are willing to die trying to find the girls.

“We urge the government to please help rescue our daughters without further delay, as we are ready to die searching.”

In addition to the 25 girls recently abducted, there is still no sign of the 200-plus schoolgirls being released from Boko Haram captivity. Nearly a week after the government announced a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram, which it said would include the release of the girls kidnapped from the secondary school in Chibok in northeastern Nigeria in April, there is still no sign of them being freed.

The New York Times notes that the new set of kidnappings took place last Saturday. The report notes that the fate of the 200 schoolgirls kidnapped and the 25 girls kidnapped from the remote village still seems unresolved despite government claims that a deal for their release is in the works. In the latest kidnapping, residents told the bishop that scores of gunmen on motorcycles stormed their village, Garta.

Bishop Mamza is the local bishop for the area and says that the problem is very real.

“Those who were abducted are from my hometown. Of course it is credible. This is actually what is happening on a daily basis, only it is not reported.”

Mamza also noted that most of those being abducted are Christians.