Boko Haram abduct 3, residents threaten to abandon their villages

Boko Haram militants on Thursday night attacked two villages in Madagali local government area of Adamawa state, North East Nigeria, abducting three people and leaving many wounded.

Speaking to the Africanews correspondent in Nigeria, residents said that the militants sneaked into Milidu and Kaya villages, shot an elderly woman and abducted three people.

A local who simply identified himself as Baba John said many residents fled to the bush but returned the following morning.

‘‘Boko Haram insurgents launched a surprise attack on us this Thursday night at Kaya which is very close to the military base. They looted food stuff and left with one vehicle and three people,’’ he said.

When contacted the local council chairman, Muhammad Yusuf, confirmed the attacks, lamenting the surge in attacks on the people of Madagali.

The Michika Federal constituency who represents the people of Madagali in the National Assembly told Africanews that they are ‘disturbed by the incessant attacks’.

‘‘Some of our people are planning to leave en mass due to several attacks in the last one month. Hardly a day or two pass without an attack where men and women are killed and youth abducted.They particularly target villages where there is no presence of soldiers.’‘

The legislator base also complained that the villages are attacked despite being close to the Sambisa military base. The Nigerian army set up a base in the Sambisa, which as formerly the operations base for Boko Haram.

Madagali which has borders with Cameroon and Borno, is on the fringes of Sambisa Forest.

Residents want President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to deploy more soldiers and equipment to protect their lives and property.

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Africanews’ attempts to reach state security agencies including the state police spokesman, Othman Abubakar were futile.