According to Sahara Reporters, Boko Haram abducted more than 20 girls during last Wednesday’s a raid in Lassa, Borno State.
A member of the local community, Daniel Ibrahim alerted reporters, and security sources have since confirmed the report.
“They [Boko Haram] abducted more than 20 girls from our town and killed many people, mostly old men and women.”
Boko Haram attacked the town last Wednesday, launching a wave of terrifying attacks. Mr Ibrahim revealed that the insurgents had been advancing on the town since late November and had finally overcome determined resistance to take control of the area. Mr Ibrahim believes that the town was captured because pleas for more troops on the ground had been ignored. “That’s why the town is now in the hands of Boko Haram,” he said.
He described how Boko Haram fighters were armed with a huge variety of weaponry, including tanks and explosives, and they killed those who were caught.
“They burnt almost half of the town before they left. Those of us who were lucky fled, but they massacred aged ones and younger men they could catch.”
The latest developments follow our report on Thursday of the attack on Bajoga , and it now appears that Boko Haram are stepping up their offensive and causing widespread fear and chaos in the region. The insurgents have been terrorizing the nation since 2009, and abductions, suicide bombings and massacres are all part of their terror strategy. Indeed, the Federal government yesterday said that Boko Haram have strapped bombs to cows and herded the cows to human settlements before detonating the explosives.
“Like Maiduguri, the insurgents have resorted to other means of invading society, and that is why they now use bombs; they strap bombs around human beings. Sometimes, they strap bombs around cows, and push them to settlements. That is why we have been calling for more vigilance and total collaboration and cooperation among citizens.”
A senior military officer attached to the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army based in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, confirmed that the military was aware of the latest developments with Boko Haram in Lassa.
But the question remains; how is Nigeria going to effectively deal with Boko Haram? Their smash and grab raids appear to be gaining momentum and it looks increasingly likely that the sickening kidnap of more than 200 girls in Chibok in April was merely the start of a long list of atrocities that Boko Haram commits in order to capture the world’s attention.
[Image Via Presstv.ir]